Time After Time
by HoneyLove27
Summary: Three months after Tara leaves Bon Temps to find herself, she faces the biggest threat to her life and sanity so far.  Will she be able to trust Sam and herself to defeat the biggest foe she's ever faced?  Please Review! Chapters 13 & 14 are up ;
1. Chapter 1

Time After Time

Three months after Tara leaves Bon Temps to find herself, she faces the biggest threat to her life and sanity so far. Will she be able to trust Sam and herself to defeat the biggest foe she's ever faced?

The time clock seemed to grow louder with ever tick just to annoy Tara.

_Stupid fifteen minute break. Not long enough to do any good, but I'd strangle someone without it._

"Ah hell." Tara breathed as she got out of the chair and passed through the door, leaving the ticking time clock in the break room.

Tara's kitten heels clicked on the linoleum as she made her way pass house wears over to the makeup/perfume.

"You're early." Stephanie beamed.

Tara looked at the young blonde girl that work the counter at Belk with her and tried to figure out why she was so damn happy all the time. Tara shrugged figuring nothing bad had every happen to Stephanie Kruger (minus the last name). It was difficult to begrudge someone for having the very life that Tara had come to Shreveport to pursue.

"It's cool. You can go." Tara sighed turning her back to the blonde.

"Oh…OK." Stephanie spoke barely above a whisper as she quietly collected her things and the left the counter to go home.

Tara sighed again as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She hadn't meant to be so standoffish but…

_I need to fly under the radar._

She though back to three months ago when she packed up her meager belongings and left Bon Temps in the middle of the night and headed for Shreveport. She hadn't told anyone where she was going, or that she was leaving. Since she didn't have a cell phone no one had been able to contact her at all. Tara went back and forth about her decision to move to Shreveport daily. She was so tempted to pick up a phone and call Lafayette, or Sookie, or…

"Sam." Tara finished out loud.

"What?" A voice said from the other side of the counter.

Tara whipped around to fast she nearly lost her balance. The man she was facing wasn't Sam of course.

"Geez, you scared me." Tara chastised the man.

"That so." He chuckled.

His shoulders moved a bit when he laughed she noticed. She also noticed that the raven-haired man was wearing ripped jeans and a black t-shirt with the sleeves cut off. That was rather odd seeing as it was January.

"Something I can help you with?" Tara asked in a way that made it clear the answer was no, but she had to ask anyway.

"Nope. Just looking." The man chuckled again and walked away towards Menswear.

Tara crossed her arms as a chill ran down her spine. She couldn't wait for the last hour to pass so she could close up and go home.

"Night Tara." Joe called as he locked the front door to Belk.

"Night." She hollered back over the wind as she pulled her coat tighter around her neck. Tara hadn't gotten a new winter coat and she was cursing herself now for it. Maybe toughing this winter out to save money hadn't been such a good idea after all.

"Are you sure you don't want me to walk with you?" Joe asked already heading towards his own car that was parked close to the door.

"That's alright. I can see it from here." Tara answered waving to Joe.

Turning back towards her car she moved towards her beat up little Pinto. The worst thing about working the late shift was having to park so far away. Sure she could see her car, but that didn't stop it from looking like an ant.

It had to be well below freezing which was unusual for this time of year, at least in northern Louisiana. Tara clutched her bag in closer toward her and felt around for her keys. That way when she did arrive at her vehicle she'd be ready to unlock the door.

"Damn it." Tara felt for her keys and couldn't locate them. "Where the hell…"

_I didn't leave them in the break room did I?_

Tara turned back to look across the Shreveport Crossings Mall parking lot. Now Belk looked like an ant. She saw Joe's pickup truck speed away and stamped her foot. Something jingled.

"Oh." She sighed with relief as she felt in her coat pocket for the keys.

"Yes."

Flipping through the keys Tara tried to pull out the one that went to the car. This was difficult to do with gloves on which made her fumble and drop the keys.

"Damn it! It's too cold for the shit." Tara cursed through her chattering teeth as she bent down to pick up her keys.

Out of the corner of her eye Tara caught something yellow just out the pool of light created by the street light she was standing near. She turned towards it and blinked.

_Nope…still there._

Tara's eyes darted over toward her car. It was a good fifty feet away still.

_Maybe I could keep walking like I never saw it._

A deep rumble broke through the crisp air.

_Fuck! It's like it knows._

The yellow grew larger until Tara could tell that they were eyes. Then suddenly the shadow around the eyes melted and turned orange, and large, and furry.

The larger and more defined it grew the louder the rumbling got until it became a snarling growl. It kept inching closer and closer until there was no denying it.

_What the fuck is a Lion doing at the Shreveport Mall?_

Suddenly it charged toward Tara at full speed and she couldn't scream loud enough.

The Lion raced towards Tara at full speed. Just when she thought it was going to attack it leapt up into the air flew over her and slammed into something. Spinning on her heels Tara saw that the Lion and slammed into a wolf full force and sent it flying several feet.

One would hope that the wolf had had enough, but instead it picked itself up and snarled at the Lion. The two of them stared at each other daring the other one to make the first move. Tara decided she'd make the first move…to the car.

She placed one foot in the direction of the car which caught the wolf's attention. It charged toward her, but was intercepted by the Lion once more. They began growling and biting each other.

Not certain she gain another opportunity Tara made a mad dash for her Pinto. Suddenly the freezing temperature was the least of her problems. Reaching the driver's side door she fiddled around for her keys again. She inserted the key into the lock just as she caught the wolf charging at her from the corner of her eye.

"Noooooo!" Tara screamed fearing she'd meet her end in the next few seconds.

Right before the wolf could attack the Lion clamped down on the wolf's neck. Tara could see the blood seeping from the wounds the Lion was creating, and then she saw the light disappear from the wolf's eyes. It was dead, Thank God.

The Lion flung the wolf's limp body across the pool of light and then looked back over its shoulder at Tara.

Not wanting to be next Tara hurriedly opened the door and started the car. Without bothering to fasten her seatbelt she slammed down the accelerator and speed towards the exit. Checking her rearview mirror to try and find the Lion she spied what appeared to be the bleeding body of a nude man.

"What the hell?"

Tara's eyes left the rearview mirror to focus on the road just in time to see another nude man standing in front of her.

Screaming Tara spun the wheel to avoid him causing the Pinto to spin and skid to a stop.

"Where'd he go?" Tara panted frantically searching for the man she'd nearly run down.

Suddenly the car door was almost ripped open. Screaming Tara tried to back away from whoever opened the door by climbing over the center console.

"No! Get away from me!" She shouted.

"Tara. It's me." Sam stuck his head into the cabin of the Pinto. He was stark naked and bleeding.


	2. Chapter 2

"Sam." Tara whispered as she stopped screaming.

"Let me drive." Sam motioned with his head for Tara to finished moving over the center console into the passenger seat.

She complied and Sam got in slamming the door against the cold, even shifters are susceptible to below freezing temperature when naked.

Putting the car in drive Sam headed out to the main road and turned toward Tara's apartment complex.

After warming up for a minute Sam turned his head to glance at Tara. He'd never seen her sit so still, or stays so quite…ever.

"Tara." He called out to her softly, but she didn't respond.

Sam reached over and placed a warm hand on Tara's shoulder. She sharply turned her head and stared through him.

"Can you hand me that blanket in the back?" He asked before turning his eyes back to the road.

Tara glanced down just long enough for it to register that he was unclothed before reaching back for the small throw she kept in her tiny back seat.

"Thank you." Sam took the green throw from Tara who still hadn't spoken.

_She might go in to shock._

"Tara?" Sam called again trying to get her to speak. "What day is it?"

"Tu…Tuesday." She whispered.

"That's right. What city are we in?"

Tara looked out the window for the answer and lay her head against the headrest.

"Tara. Tara, what city are we in?" Sam looked at her wishing Tara's apartment was closer.

"Shreveport."

"Good Tara. I just need you to hang on a few more minutes."

Sam knew Tara was holding it in, but as soon as she had the chance she's absolutely lose it.

Finally after the longest five minutes they'd ever shared Sam pulled in the complex and took a right to head to Tara's apartment.

Once they parked Sam took the keys out of the ignition and handed them to Tara who stared at them.

"How…"

"You just put this one in the lock and turn it." Sam informed her.

"I know how to open a door Sam." Tara shook her head. "How do you know where I live?"

Sam stared into Tara's eyes for a few minutes not certain where to begin. One answer would only lead to more questions. And it was too cold out here for that.

Holding Tara's gaze Sam leaned closer and closer until his face was mere inches from hers. He could feel her sweet breath against his lips as he reached for the door handle and opened it. The freezing air was sharp as it hit his face and stirred Tara's hair.

"Wait for me inside."

A nervous panic began to creep onto Tara's face.

"It's alright. Nothing's out there." Sam placed his hand on her cheek to reassure her.

Tara took a deep breath to steady herself and grabbed the keys from Sam's hand. Turning her head toward her front door she seemed to judge the distance and decided that she'd be inside before a misfortune could befall her…again.

Pushing the door open Tara sprinted for the front door, jammed the key in, and turned the lock in record time. Once the front door was open the car door slammed. Tara turned in the doorway expecting to see Sam walking towards her. Instead a collie trotted towards her holding the green throw in his mouth.

Sam stood in front of Tara for several seconds before it dawned upon her to move into the living room so that he could enter the apartment and they could shut the cold out for good.

Sam walked into the room and turned away from Tara. Taking a deep breath he cleared his mind and shifted back into himself. Removing the throw from his mouth he wrapped it around his waist and faced Tara, who stood there calmly.

_Still waters run deep._

The shifter took a few steps towards her which seemed to break her trance.

"I'll get you something to wear." Tara announced and left the room for a minute.

After Sam put the sweat pants and t-shirt on he sat on one side of the couch and looked up at Tara who was winning the award for most likely to stand still staring into space the longest.

"Tara," Sam reached for her. "Come sit with me."

Silently she walked over to the couch and perched on the end opposite Sam and looked straight ahead. Sam sighed and took Tara's feet off the ground and placed them in his lap.

"You mad at me?" He shrugged.

"What?"

"Are you mad at me?"

"No. Mad at you? Sam, you saved my life. At least, I think you saved my life."

"I probably did. Didn't exactly get a chance to ask him what he wanted with you."

"So…" Tara ran her hand up and down her legs gathering strength. "He's dead."

It was half a statement and half a question.

"Yeah." Sam nodded and leaned back into the couch placing a hand on Tara's ankle.

Tara crossed her arms and closed her eyes trying to stop herself from trembling, but a tear escaped her eyes.

"Fuck." She gasped trying to breath.

Sam knew this was coming and he was prepared. Gathering Tara up in his arms Sam soothed her and rubbed her back.

"Just breathe baby. It's ok."

"It's not ok." Tara yelled jumping up off the couch.

"There's a fucking werewolf after me and I don't know why. I moved to get away from all that shit and it fucking followed me."

"I don't think that's what happened." Sam stood watching Tara pace.

"Then what happed Sam? What?"

Sam sighed."I don't know." He shrugged hating not being able to give her the answers.

"Fuck." Tara spun on her heels and went to the kitchen to get a bottle of whiskey and two glasses.

Sam followed her and arrived just in time to stop the bottle from slipping out of her hands and hitting the floor.

"It's alright. I got it." Sam grabbed the glasses off the counter. "Go sit down."

Tara walked to the couch and sat anxiously waiting for Sam to pour the whiskey. He handed her a much needed glass.

Tara took it like a shot and passed it back to Sam for a refill. Sam filled it and passed it back. Tara sipped on this one more slowly.

"So you gonna tell me how you know where I live? And where I work for that matter?"

Sam poured himself a drink.

"Someone from Belk called me for a reference. It was pretty easy from there."

"So you knew this whole time?"

"Yes."

"Is this the first time you came here?"

"No. I wasn't stalking you. Just wanted to make sure you're ok. You're all alone here."

Tara sipped on her whiskey until the glass was empty. "Am I ok?"

Sam shook his head and poured her another glass. "I don't think anyone can answer that but you."

Sam watched Tara roll the empty glass between her two palms as she stared at it expecting the answers to life's question to pour out of it. She looked so sad and desperate for a change. He hated seeing her this way, it made him feel helpless. She'd moved away to find her happiness and now she was more miserable that ever – all in one evening.

"You know what you need." Sam interjected into her thoughts.

"Nope." Tara shrugged studying the empty glass.

"A bath." Sam smiled.

"Excuse me." Tara looked up at him attempting not to be offended.

Sam chuckled as the old Tara flashed for a second. "It'll relax you."

Tara shook her head and began to protest. "Sam…"

"Trust me." Sam smiled looking deep into Tara's eyes trying to calm her soul. "I'll run the water."

Getting off the couch Sam walked to the bathroom.

"I never said yes." Tara pretended to protest, but Sam knew that Tara didn't mind him taking care of her tonight.

Once Tara was settled in the tub, surrounded my every candle Sam could muster up, with bubbles covering the majority of her body, Sam came back into the bathroom. He sat beside the Tara with his back against the side of the tub and sighed.

"Long day." She asked putting her hair into a ponytail so it wouldn't get wet.

"Yeah." The shifter breathed running his hands through his hair.

"You were right you know." Tara smiled leaning on the side of the tub so she could be closer to him.

Sam turned his head so he faced her. "Now I don't think I've ever heard you say that…to anyone."

Tara playfully splashed him with water and giggled.

"I'm serious Sam. And not just about the bath. About everything." Tara inched closer to her past lover. "That's why I came here."

"Oh really." Sam studied Tara's lips. "I thought maybe it was because I told you I was a shifter."

Tara's deep brown eyes closed and he shook her head ever so slightly. A few tendrils escaped her pony tail.

"I was afraid you might misunderstand." She sighed. "You're not the problem Sam…I am."

"It's not you, it's me." He scoffed.

"Yeah." Tara replied feeling a little defensive. "That's why I'm here, to work on that."

"I don't see where there's anything to work on." Sam reasoned.

"Well I do." Tara argued. "Everyone else has their shit together. They're out there finding their happiness and standing on their own two feet. I know I can do the same if I give myself a chance."

Sam turned so he was facing Tara and rested his arm on the rim of the tub.

"Tara Mae you are one of the strongest women I've ever met."

"Always being ready for a fight isn't strong Sam. I feel like I have a rain cloud over me and a target on my back. Do you know how many time I asked myself 'why me'? Why did Maryann pick me? Why did I have to watch Eggs die? Why did Franklin terrorize me? Why did one who took Eggs away from me have to be Jason? And there is a small, a very small part of me that feels that if Sookie had just stayed away from Bill like we told her none of this shit would have happened."

"Tara that's not fair. It is isn't Sookie's fault."

"Damn it I know that Sam. I just wanted to press the damn reset button and forget the last six months of my life."

That wounded Sam. Their entire relationship was in the last six months of her life. Besides, Maryann didn't go after Tara because of Sookie. It was because of him. Because she knew that it would hurt Sam to see someone he had feelings for in Maryann's clutches and falling in love with another man.

"I'm sorry Tara."

"Please stop apologizing Sam." Tara leaned her head back against the cool shower wall. "I'm the one runnin' off at the mouth not thinkin' before I speak."

Sam smiled, "Well I wouldn't have you any other way."

"Sure." Tara chuckled, eyes smiling. "Bad attitude and all."

"Like I said, we're not so different."

"Well I won't hold it against you."

"Better not." He winked at her causing her to blush. Sam pretended not to notice as he dipped his fingers in the water, it was still warm.

"I've missed you Sam." Tara confessed. "I called you a couple of times, but…"

"I knew it was you. Figured you'd talk when you were ready."

"I'm trying to decided if you following me around this whole time is make you a stalker or sexy."

"I'm gonna put my vote in for sexy." Sam dipped his hand into the water and formed a cup. He brought water over to Tara's shoulder and released it, watching it slide down her smooth ebony skin. He'd missed that skin.

"I like your hair."

Tara smiled and looked away. "Thanks. I…wanted a change."

"It's beautiful." He told her.

"It's just different."

"Hey, will you let me give you a complement." Sam tried to look Tara in the eye, but she was still looking away. He placed his hand under her chin and gently turned her head so she was facing him and her chocolate eyes stared into his baby blues. Once their eyes met he released her chin and ran his fingers through her hair, her real hair for the first time. "You are so beautiful."

His eyes traveled from her eyes to her lips and back again. He wanted to taste those sweet lips he'd been missing for three long months, but he finally reached up and kissed her forehead instead. Tara needed to know that this wasn't about sex for him. He needed her to know that what he felt for her was real. That was the only way she'd return to him.

Without another word Sam placed a towel on the covered toilet seat and left Tara alone in the bathroom to dry off.

After several minutes Tara walked into the living room in her pajamas to find Sam making up the couch.

"What are you doing?"

Sam stopped. "You don't mind if I crash her? I thought it might be safer and it late."

"Of course not Sam." She smiled. "I meant why you are sleeping on that lumpy ass couch. The bed is a queen."

"Well I didn't want to assume… I mean I'm not trying to."

"I know, I know." Tara smiled and reached out her hand. "I'll never get any sleep if I can't see you anyway."

Sam walked toward Tara until he could reach out and touch her extended hand.

"You sure? I mean, sometimes I bark in my sleep."

"I think I can handle it." She laughed as she turned and led him to the bedroom.

They both climbed under the sheets incredibly tired. Sam reached over and turned out the light.

The shifter laid there awake for a few minutes. It never occurred t him when he got in the car to check on Tara this afternoon that he'd end up even speaking to her, let alone fighting a werewolf for her and spending the night in her bed. He smiled wondering what tomorrow would bring."

"Sam?"

"Yes."

"Will you been here when I wake up?" Tara asked moving closer to Sam and resting her cheek on his chest.

Sam wrapped his arm securely around his love and planted a kiss in her fragrant hair.

"Will you?" He joked.

Tara playfully swatted him and giggled before they both drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Tara rolled over in her bed and realized there shouldn't been that much room. Where was Sam? Pushing the covers back she sat up and noticed that delicious smells were wafting into the bedroom from the kitchen. She couldn't help smiling. This was the second time Sam and made her breakfast.

Tara rounded the corner into the living room and looked into the kitchen. Sam was hard at work.

"Morning sleepyhead." She smiled over his shoulder finishing up cooking.

Sam slid the omelet out of the pan onto a plate and handed it to Tara with a fork.

"Bon Appetite."

Tara cut a steaming piece and blew on in before putting it her mouth. It was heavenly.

"Damn this is good."

"Thank you."

"You know. I half expected hoecakes." She joked.

"Well someone was out of bacon. Can't make hoecakes without bacon grease." He teased and smile.

Tara looked down at her omelet before he could tell that his smiles made her melt to the core. She'd almost forgotten about the attack last night and the fact that they still didn't have any answers.

"Hey." Sam interrupted her thoughts.

"What's up?"

"I gotta get going. Have to open the bar."

Tara began to stiffen up and the thought of Sam leaving her. She'd didn't have to work today and wasn't certain if that would keep her safe or make her a sitting duck.

Sam sensed her distress and placed his hands on her shoulders gently massaging her. "I can come back to check everything thing out if you want."

"I hate to have you drive back and forth for me."

"Tara." Sam shook his head. "That's the least I can do. I'll come back before night fall."

He kissed her forehead again and then gazed down into her eyes. She wanted to kiss him. Normally she'd just take what she wanted, but something was holding her back. Probably the fact that's she'd left him cold. How could she leave him one minute then jump him the next? It was…rude. And Sam deserved better.

"I'll see you tonight." He breathed and she nodded in agreement

Sam began walking toward the door and pulled the shirt over his head. Tara realized he was going to shift again. She'd been to numb to really appreciate the transformation last night. It happened so quickly.

"Sam wait." She called as he reached for the door knob.

He waited for her to say something, but it appeared to be stuck in her throat.

"What is it?"

"Why'd you do all this? Check up on me? Stay the night?"

Tara watched Sam mull the question over and then run several responses through his head before he broke his silence.

He sighed and glanced at the floor before looking back up at her and then opening the door.

"Because I love you Tara."

Then he shifted out of the sweat pants and took off running towards the mall where he left his car.

Tara closed the door and sat on the couch unable to finish her breakfast.

_Because I love you Tara._ The words played in her head over and over. Had anyone ever said that to her and really meant it?

About an hour later Tara mentally kicked herself for sitting there that long, changed her clothes to a cream sweater and blue jeans, and hopped in her car. She made it to Bon Temps in record time.

The first place she went was Merlotte's. Tara wasn't really up for seeing a town full of people who had a ton of questions, but that's where Sam was so…

She parked around back with the employees and almost jumped out of her Pinto. The parking lot was dead. _Good._ She ran up to the trailer and knocked on the door. _Please, please, please be home._

"Tara?"

Tara turned to face the all too familiar face.

"Jason." She smiled. He looked good. Underdressed for the weather though.

He stood there in the parking lot like he was afraid that moving would cause the mirage to disappear. So Tara came to him. When she was a foot from him he grabbed her up into a bear hug lifting her off the ground.

"Thank God you're alright."

"Jason, are you alright?" Tara asked. He sounded like he was on the verge of tears. The only time she'd seen Jason cry was when he was having blood drained from his penis.

Tara sighed. "Jason. Can you put me down?"

"Oh sure." He placed her one the ground. "Sorry, I'm just so damn happy to see you. First Sookie's back, now you. Maybe Crystal will be next. Everything happens in threes right?"

"Crystal's gone? Wait what do you mean Sookie's back?" Tara panicked

"Yeah. We all thought maybe you two left together, but when she got back she didn't even know you were gone. Hey, where'd you go?"

"Shreveport."

"What the hell's in Shreveport?" Jason shrugged

"Tara!" Sookie screamed running across the parking lot in nothing but her winter barmaid uniform.

"Sookie." Tara smiled and hugged her friend as soon as she reached her.

"Where have you been?" Tara asked as soon as the blonde released her.

"You first?"

"Shreveport." Jason answered.

"What's in Shreveport?" Sookie inquired.

"That's what I said." Jason added.

"Why don't we go inside where it's not so cold?" Tara instructed to avoid all the questions Sookie was trying to pick out of her mind.

"Actually I got to get to work." Jason shrugged and turned back to his truck. He turned when he reached the door to the truck. "Now don't either one of you get any ideas about runnin' off again." He pointed at them.

"I don't take orders from you." Sookie shot back just to annoy her brother.

"Sookie I swear…"

"Bye Jason." Sookie spun on her heals, grabbed Tara's arm and walked back into Merlotte's.

When they were in the back hallway Sookie released Tara's arm.

"Guess we can't be mad at each other since we both did the same thing." Tara reasoned.

"You mean leave without saying a word to anyone because we need to get away and knew that no one would understand. You're right can't be mad about that." Sookie smiled at her friend and Tara smiled back.

"Is Sam in his office?"

"Yeah I think so. I really expected him to lay into me, but he just laughed. Said it's been that kind of day." Sookie shrugged.

"Hey I'll talk to you later ok." Tara half asked Sookie as she headed to Sam office.

"Ok. Sure." Sookie smiled nervously wondering why Tara wanted to see Sam.

Tara approached the door and took a deep cleansing breath before she knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in."

Tara opened the door and saw the man who loved her. He had bathed as was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a black button down. Boy could he wear a pair of jeans. He was facing away from her and looking over some paper work.

"Sorry Sookie. Got a lot to do today. I'll be out tonight."

Tara closed the door without a work and crossed the room to stand behind him. When she didn't speak Sam finally turned around to see that it was Tara and not Sookie facing him. Tara and Sam stood their facing each other for a few seconds before Sam placed his papers on the desk and grabbed Tara's waist with both hands pulling her to him.

Their lips met releasing months of tension and a hunger engulfed them both. Sam snaked one arm around the small of Tara's back bringing her closer and his other hand cradled the back of her head and played in her hair. Tara sighed in to the kiss and grabbed on to Sam's broad shoulders. Their kiss softened and Sam pulled back slightly sweetly tasting her lips and caressing her face. He brushed against her smooth lips with his tongue begging them to part so he could explore. Tara complied and Sam massaged her tongue with his. He groaned and she gasped in reply. It was a beautiful melody.

"Sam." She whispered his name when he released her lips and began to devour her neck.

"I've missed you, baby." He breathed in to her neck.

The sensation of his breath on her skin sent chills down her spin and she clutched on to his shoulder for support.

"I love you Sam."

Tara wasn't certain he'd heard her at first, but then he stopped kissing her neck and pulled her close to him again.

"I don't know…" Tara began, but Sam placed his thumb over her lips and quieted her before she could ruin the moment in typical Tara fashion.

Sam moved hand down to her chin and lifted his to his face. "I'm not asking anything of you Tara."

Tara wasn't sure how she felt about that, …relieved…jipped…thankful? She reached up and ran her hand along his forearm.

"I should get going. Let you get back to work."

"Ok. I'll see you tonight."

"Yeah." Tara smiled and left the office in a daze.

She was almost to her car when Sookie yelled for her.

"Sorry Sook. I'll be back." Tara yelled across the parking lot.

"When?"

Tara saw the pained look on Sookie's face and felt badly for ever feeling that any of her troubles were her friend's fault.

"I don't know. Soon."

Tara got in to her car and was pulling into her apartment complex before she could blink. Sitting in her car she stared at her front door. It didn't seem like her door. She thought about Sookie and Sam and Jason and Lafayette whom she didn't get to see.

"What am I doing here?"

She didn't have an answer so Tara packed up her clothes and dishes. She'd just about finished when there was a knock at the door.

She opened it to see the bubbly blonde from Belk standing there.

"Stephanie?"

"Hey Tara. I didn't have your number so I thought I'd just pop by for a sec…are you going somewhere?"

Tara looked back and saw her suit cases and a couple of boxes had accumulated in the living room.

"Yeah. I'm moving."

"Moving? Why?" The girl almost sounded offended. "I mean you just got here. Where're you going?"

"Home."

"Oh." She tried to sound like she was genuinely happy for Tara, but she could tell that the blonde was not happy for her.

"I need to leave soon so…nice knowing you." Tara closed the door to finish packing. She' probably hurt the young girls feelings again.

Tara sighed feeling badly. After all Stephanie had come all the way out here to see her.

_How did she know where I live?_

Tara went back to the door before she could get too far, but the parking lot was empty. Stephanie wasn't anywhere? Tara hadn't heard a car start up either.

_Strange._

The people in Bon Temps were strange too, but at least she knew who they were.

Tara packed her car and didn't stop until she pulled into Sookie's gravel driveway.

Sookie was so grateful to see her friend that neither one of them noticed a pair of eyes watching them unpack the Pinto.


	4. Chapter 4

3:30 pm came in no time (Apparently that's what happens when you drive to Ben Temps, back to Shreveport, and then back to Bon Temps again all in one day). Tara was exhausted, but too full of energy for a nap.

She looked around at the familiar house wondering how she could ever have left. Standing in the foyer she did a simple turn taking in the different rooms. The kitchen and the living room were just as she remembered every time she closed her eyes.

As Tara glanced outside thought the windows she noticed that the sunlight was waning. That was the thing about winter. Dusk came so early – too early. She still had to get over to Merlotte's to tell Sam that she moved back before he headed off to her Shreveport apartment for no reason.

"I can't get all these by myself. You coming?" Sookie hollered from the top of the stairs.

"Sorry." Tara smiled and picked up the last two boxes from the floor. She hadn't meant to stand there lost in thought for so long.

Tara climbed the stairs and turned the corner into her room. Sookie was waiting there with a huge grin on her face.

"It's just like you left it. You're old room, and my old room." Sookie chuckled and crossed her arms while Tara put the boxes on the bed.

"You know I've never felt more at home that I do here. I don't know how I could have left." Tara confessed putting her hands on her hips.

"I know what you mean." Sookie spoke softly walking over to one of the windows.

Tara stared at her friend. She knew that Sookie must have been thinking about wherever she had been for the last three months. Tara also knew that the blonde wouldn't talk about it no matter how hard she pushed. Tara sighed deciding to pick that battle later.

"I have to go." Sookie announced.

"What? You're not going to help me unpack?"

"Ugh. I hate unpacking."

"Me too."

Sookie laughed and bounced towards that door.

"I have to go to Arlene's, before work, so she can rip me a new one for not asking her permission to head out of town. I'd almost rather be here unpacking. Almost..."

"I'll remember this." Tara called after her friend who was already downstairs grabbing her keys and heading for the door.

Tara turned back to the small mountain of boxes and bags on the bed. Deciding to do the clothes first she unzipped and bag and began to hang up some items in the closet. She hadn't started the second bag before she heard the front door open.

"Sook." Jason called into the house.

"Hey Sook. I need those jeans you were suppose to clean for me. I want to wear 'em tonight. You get that stain out yet?"

Tara giggled as she wondered what had stained Jason's pants so badly that he couldn't just send them to the cleaners.

"Sook. They're my best jeans now."

"She's not here." Tara appeared at the top of the stairs looking down at Jason who seemed to stop in his tracks.

"Hey. Good. You're still here. I was afraid you'd run back off to Shreveport."

"I did, but just long enough to pack."

"You moved back? Well damn. Get down here so I can give you a welcome back hug."

Tara descended the stairs shaking her head as Jason pulled her into a bear hug for the second time that day.

Jason released Tara and looked into her eyes. "So you know where my favorite jeans are?"

Tara shook her head.

"Damn."

"Guess you'll have to wear your second favorite pair."

"Guess so."

Jason smiled that irresistible smile that has always worked so well on women. Tara turned her head to blush and moved out of Jason's arms and headed for the kitchen. Tara had seen that smile before, but Jason had never really used it on her.

"I think Sookie has some beer in the fridge. You want one?" Tara asked as she crossed her arms.

"Depends. What time is it?"

"3:45"

"Perfect. I'd like to be buzzed before five." Jason smiled again and winked at Tara.

"Ok." Tara spun her heels leading the way to the kitchen.

There was no denying that Jason was flirting with her a bit. Maybe it was just good practice for him. Tara shook it off and reached in to the fridge for two Budlight's with lime. She handed one to Jason, but he took both and just barely grazed her hand in the process.

"I'll get that for you." Jason opened her's and handed it back to her. " 'sides you'll be opening plenty soon enough. You going back to work at Merlotte's?"

It was half a question and half a statement. Almost like working at the bar would solidify Tara's relocation back to Bon Temps in Jason's mind.

"Think so." Tara took a sip and sat down at the kitchen table. Jason took the seat next to hers.

Jason took a long swig from his bottle and then wiped his lips before looking at Tara again.

"Damn I missed you." Jason laughed.

"Oh please, Jason." Tara dismissed.

"I'm serious. You know, I think you're my only female drinking buddy. It's nice, being able to drink with someone who doesn't feel the need to hit shit after they get shitfaced."

"Maybe you don't know me as well as you think." Tara laughed "I hit shit all the time."

"Yeah, but it's different. It's not annoying when you do it."

"Thanks, I think." Tara giggled.

"You know you and me….and Sookie, we're tight."

"Yeah, like a family." Tara drank again.

"Well…yeah, but no. I mean, you and me…we're not family." Jason reasoned.

"What was your first clue? The fact that I'm black and you're white?"

"Damn it Tara. How could you wait all this time to tell me that I'm white?"

Tara and Jason busted out laughing. When their laughter subsided Jason finished off his beer and grabbed another.

"You want one?" He called over his shoulder.

"Nah, I'm good." Tara declined.

Jason sat back down and pulled his chair closer to Tara. He placed his hand on one of Tara's forearms so she'd look up at him.

"I never told anyone about that Vamp I killed behind Merlotte's before you left."

"Franklin." Tara remembered.

"I even been watching what I think around Sookie so she won't know either."

Tara nodded it. It hadn't occurred to her that she would have to do that unless she wanted Sookie to know about it. That might not be safe for everyone involved.

Jason watched Tara silently for a few moments. "Tara, you alright?"

Tara nodded silently.

"I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't. I was just thinking about…what led up to Franklin's death. If I'd known how to kill a Vampire the right way you wouldn't have had to step it." Well I've been trained." Jason informed Tara seriously.

Finishing off her beer Tara stood and threw the bottle into the trash.

"What did lead up to his death?" He asked.

"You really want to know?" Tara's brows drew down. Jason was usually only worried about Jason.

"Of course. If there's stuff out there hurting the people I care I about I need to know so I can protect them."

Tara shook her head and headed into the living room.

"It's not your job to protect me Jason.

"Well sure it is." He followed her. "We're…I mean…you know."

"No I don't know Jason." She snapped, taking her anger out on him.

Jason walked up to Tara until he was only a couple of feet from her.

"I'm one of the few people who knows that I'm not the one you're mad at."

Closing her eyes Tara's face fell and she sat on the arm of a nearby chair which would have upset Jason's grandmother back in the day.

"I moved back to Bon Temps because a Werewolf came after me." Tara confessed.

"What?"

"That's not the only reason, but if it hadn't been for that…"

"Wait a what?" Jason tried to wrap his mind around Tara's words.

"A Werewolf."

"You mean a man who changed into a wolf and back again."

"Yep."

Jason sat on the edge of the couch adjacent to the chair. "Go on." He nodded ready to hear more.

"That's it." Tara shrugged. "We don't know any more."

"You must have been terrified."

"A little. A lot. Not the first time I've been chased by a Were."

"This happens regularly?"

"No. But that's part of what led up to Franklin's death. He was keeping me hostage in Jackson with the help of other Vampire's and Were's that were high on Vamp blood."

"Weres that do V. Holy shit Tara." Jason stood and started to pace back and forth in front of her. "I wish I'd known about that. Fuckin' bastard. You know I'm glad I killed him."

"Me too."

Jason stopped pacing and ran his fingers through his hair. "I understand why you ran off now. Hell, I've run off before and it only led me right back here."

"Can't escape no matter how far we run." A tear formed in the corner of Tara's eye and escaped before she could turn her head.

Tara stood to get away from Jason, but he caught her arm.

"Fuck." Tara hated that he saw her crying.

"It's alright Tara. You don't have to hide from me. Come here." He gently pulled her into his embrace. "I've got you. You're safe."

Jason rested his head on top of Tara's why she silently cried. He could feel her shoulders moving as she sobbed.

"You and me, we're the same." Jason whispered leaning back so he could look at Tara's tear stained face.

Using his thumb he wiped her face clean as she took a deep breath.

Tara tried to smile and laugh in spite of herself. "Last time he were this close I kissed you. I'm sorry."

"No." Jason placed his hand under Tara's chin. "I should have been the one to kiss you."

Gently Jason pressed his lips to Tara's.

Tara pushed back out of Jason's embrace. "Oh my God."

"Tara, I wasn't trying to take at advantage. I just… I mean you don't really think of me as a brother do you?"

"No." Tara shook her head unsure how to proceed.

"'Cause I always kind of got the feeling that…maybe you…" Jason reached up to touch Tara's hair.

"I really like you're hair." He confessed as he leaned down to kiss her again.

"Sam." She blurted out.

"No…Jason." He corrected.

"No…Sam."

"Uh…Tara?"

"I'm with Sam. I can't kiss you Jason. I can't….do any of this." Tara crossed the room to put distance between them and illustrate her point.

"Since when are you with Sam?" Jason scoffed.

"Before I left. And now that I'm back. And before Eggs."

"Before Eggs? How come I never knew about this?"

"Well, at first we were just fooling around so we didn't tell anyone. I was hung-up on you and Sam wanted Sookie. But then it got real serious, then I screwed it up, then Maryann came and took advantage and practically made be break it off with him, and…"

"You were hung-up on me?" Jason asked and Tara nodded. "And now you're hung-up on Sam." Tara nodded again.

"Sam." Jason seethed and started wearing a hole in the floor again. "Sam doesn't deserve you."

"Why?"

"He's a womanizer Tara."

"If that isn't the pot calling the kettle black…"

"You said yourself that he wanted Sookie. Then there was that Daphne person, who died…"

"Neither one of us can talk about people we slept with dying." Tara reminded Jason

"Tara." Jason looked hurt. She had been the main one to defend him when everyone though he was a serial killer.

"I'm sorry Jason…"

"You see…you see what Sam Merlotte brings out in you. I don't like this Tara."

"Well that's too bad because we're in love."

Tara could see that he words stung Jason, but she couldn't understand why. The Jason she knew when she left wouldn't have cared…right?

"Maybe I'll just let Sam know that I'll be watching him."

Jason stormed out into the cold leaving the door wide open.

"Jason Stackhouse you get back here!" Tara yelled over the engine of his truck.

Jason tore out of Sookie's driveway fuming.

"Fucking idiot!" Tara grabbed her keys and ran over to her pinto to follow him.

A few minutes later she arrived at Merlotte's just in time to see Jason cut the engine.

"Jason." She yelled, but he didn't hear her above his rage.

Tara pushed the door open as Jason called for Sam.

"Sam Merlotte." He yelled again.

Sam rounded the corner to see Jason and Tara standing in the middle of the bar with everyone staring.

"Jason, everything alright?" Sam asked.

Tara tried to walk past Jason over to Sam, but he stopped her.

"Damn it Jason stop." She threw his arm out of the way to stand between the two men.

Sam attempted to read the situation from Tara's face, but all he got was stress.

"What's going on?" He asked her.

"What's going on…" Jason answered taking a few step towards the bar owner "…is that you can't seem to make up your mind."

"What are you talking about?" Sam shrugged

"One minute you're in love with my sister and the next you're all over Tara."

"Now hold on a minute…"

"No you hold. You never asked my permission to court Sook and you don't have it to date Tara."

"Excuse me." Sookie entered the bar for work.

"You're permission?" Sam stepped into Jason.

"Jason, knock it off." Tara warned trying to step between the two men, but Sam calmly pulled Tara behind him. She'd never realized how strong he was. Stronger than Jason, who never could have done that.

"If Sam is going to ask anyone for permission to date my cousin, it's me. And last time I checked this was 2011." Lafayette emerged from the kitchen.

"Hey." Tara smiled at her cousin.

"Don't 'hey' me hooka, we need to talk." Lafayette walked around Sam and Tara to stand between Sam and Jason.

"Why you two making this scene? Who Tara dates is her decision and you need to respect that."

"So you think Sam is good enough for Tara? That man has a trunk full of secret and Tara can't handle anything else being thrown at her."

"It's her decision." Sam told him.

"And as her _friend_." Lafayette emphasize the word friend. "You need to respect that."

"Fuck this." Jason spat as he turned, stormed past Sookie, and left the bar.

Lafayette, Sookie, and Sam both turned to Tara wondering what brought that on.

Sookie hiked her bag up on her shoulder and walked up to Sam and Tara.

"Again?" She accused and she went to the office to put her bag in the bottom drawer of Sam's desk.

"What did she mean _again_?" Sam looked at Tara who shrugged

"Guess you don't need to come to Shreveport tonight."

"I think we need to talk."Sam leaned into his love still not understanding Jason's outburst.

"It'll have to wait." Lafayette informed him as he took Tara's arm and led her to the supply closet.


	5. Chapter 5

"Who the hell do you think you are? How about welcome back Tara." Tara barked at Lafayette as he released her arm and closed the door to the storage room.

"Who the hell do you think you are running off to Shreveport like a thief in the night without telling your friends and family?" Lafayette answered back crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the shelves of cans.

Tara shrugged and ran her fingers through her hair before placing her hands on her hips.

"Oh no hookah, you gon' have to do better than that."

"Damn it, I don't know. I just had to get away."

"You think I haven't wanted to get away. To leave this god-forsaken piece of shit town. Why you think I'm holdin' down three fuckin' jobs? The point is you don't turn you back on your family."

Tara started to feel badly for leaving. She'd always hated what it must have done to everyone, but now it was staring her in the face.

"Wait a minute. How did you know I was in Shreveport?"

"Don't change the subject."

"No, you don't change the subject. Fuck. Did everyone know where I was?" Tara wondered.

"Naw. I have ways of knowing things." Lafayette answered. Tara rolled her eyes knowing that was the best she was going to get out of her cousin.

"Anyway…" Tara began "How you been?"

"Fine." He answered standing up straight. "Speaking of changing the subject... How come you been back less than 24 hours and already call yourself being in a 'relationship' with the Boss Man."

"Oh that." Tara shrugged and shoved her hands in her back pockets.

"Oh that?" Lafayette looked Tara in the eye. "There's not a soul in Bon Temps that won't hear about 'that' after that scene from Romeo and Juliet the three of you just had out in the bar.

Tara sighed and closed her eyes. Damn it if her cousin wasn't absolutely correct. There was no such thing as a secret in a small town and thanks to Jason neither Tara nor her relationship with Sam could fly under the radar.

"Fuckin' Jason Stackhouse." Tara muttered under breath.

"Are you?" Lafayette asked casually.

"What?" Tara exclaimed "Hell no."

"Don't say that like he hasn't starred in all your fantasies since you were twelve." He laughed.

Tara grumbled knowing it was true. That made the whole scene ironic, but it still didn't make any sense to her – and she'd been there the whole time.

"I don't get it. Why all of a sudden does Jason give a fuck who I date?" Tara asked her cousin and herself.

Lafayette circled his cousin in the small store room. "Now you too old to think. for one minute, that the rampage Jason Stackhouse went on is because he cares who dates you."

"What do you mean?" Tara turned to ask him.

"What you done stepped in?" Lafayette asked half smiled.

"I didn't do anything mutha' fucka'. Jason's the one…" She protested, but Lafayette cut her off.

"Think back sista', think hard. What did you do that might make Jason …"

"Make Jason what?"

"Suddenly want to get him some Tara. And I know you ain't this slow."

Tara sighed again. Of course she wasn't slow, but she had no desire to lead her cousin down a path that would revile one of her very dark secrets. Namely the killing of Franklin Mott. Murder (even in the defense of your life) did have a way of bringing people together. Not to mention…

"I haven't done anything. Jason always been crazy for the next piece of ass. Maybe it was just my turn. He'll be over it tomorrow."

"Uh huh." Lafayette huffed. "That man drove all the way over to Merlotte's to tell Sam a thing or two and he's going to be 'over you' tomorrow. Why don't we save the delusions for the white folks. This has Tara fucked up written all over it."

Tara crossed her arms and leaned against the same wall f cans that Lafayette previously occupied. "I might have kissed him." Tara confessed.

Lafayette crossed over to his cousin and stood towering over her. "A kiss, can be a powerful life-changing event…when you mean it."

With that Lafayette left his cousin to ponder the current situation with Sam and Jason. Was it naive to believe that it was over? Tara hoped not. If it was up to her everyone would just pretend the last hour had never transpired.

Sam wiped down the bar once more even though he knew that it was as clean as it ever got. The bar was slow and Sam was trying to let his mind wander, but it kept coming back to Tara and Jason. What were they doing before they came into the bar. What the hell was Jason's problem? Sam and Tara had had lengthily conversations about why Jason ignored her and didn't see her 'that way'. What the hell was going on? It had been a hell of a 24 hours.

Sam sighed and wiped up his own fingerprints unaware that Tara and emerged and was watching him unsure of how to approach. Her sweet scent wafted toward the shifter and he turned to lock eyes with his love. She had that face on - the one that was trying to look brave and nonchalant, but underneath was nervous and yearning for acceptance. He knew that face well so he smile and watched the tension melt from her body. Whatever had happened he knew that Tara hadn't set out to hurt him or anyone for that matter.

"Come here." He quietly beckoned to his love that obliged thankful not to have to speak at the moment.

Tara entered Sam's warm embraced. His heart swelled having her there after so long. He breathed in her sweet scene. Most people probably wouldn't believe that Tara smelled like flowers, but that was the real Tara – a flower – a Rose that needed to be de-thorned.

Sam's head jerked to the right as he smelled the unfamiliar scent of a Were.

_Damn it! Here in my bar!_

"What is it baby?" Tara asked feeling the tension in her lover's body.

"Nothing." Sam replied kissing Tara on the forehead as he searched the bar for the Were.

Sam's eyes locked with a tall dark-haired shifter sitting in a far-away booth in Arlene's section. He must have missed the man enter when he was waiting for Tara to come out of the store room. The shifter's eyes wander the bar over to Sookie's section. He saw her waiting on a couple of college boys.

_Sook. There's a were in the bar. Keep an eye out, okay._

Sam thought load and clear.

Sookie's head spun so fast her ponytail flew and nearly hit her in the face. Clearly she was not accustomed to communicating this way. She nodded after a moment and went back to taking the order.

"Sam. Sam." Tara called again and gently shook her boyfriend.

"Sorry." He smiled. Clearly she'd called him a few times.

"It's alright." Tara shrugged leaning against the bar. "Hey thinks for not going all crazy before."

"Well, I think Jason has enough crazy for the both of us."

Tara giggled. "The three of us."

They both chuckled as a co-ed approached. She must have been joining the table in Sookie's section.

"Hey." The red-head smiled. "Can I get a Long Beach?" She tilted her head to side thinking that somehow that was endearing.

"Sure." Sam smiled trying not to be annoyed. "What's a Long Beach?"

"You're kidding right?" She laughed. "I mean I knew this place was off the map, but…"

"I'll make it." Tara spoke up not liking that the girl was laughing at Sam. "You're waitress will bring it to your table."

"Oh, okay. The red-head answered clearly offended. She then sauntered off to her table to complain.

Tara got out the ingredients for the drink.

"So what the hell is a Long Beach?"

"It's just a Long Island Ice Tea with Cranberry juice instead of Coke."

"Ah hell, I could have made that. How'd you know that?" Sam wondered.

"Well…"Tara thought. "On my first night of bartending my boss tossed a book at me..."

"I handed it to you."

"And told me that he couldn't be bothered…"

"I said I didn't have time…"

"So I should read it back to front. Which apparently he never did." Tara winked at Sam as she finished the drink and poured it into the glass for Sookie to take to the table.

Sam stared intently at his girlfriend eyeing her up and down. "Sounds like a nasty Son of a Bitch. How do you put up with 'em?"

"He's not that bad once you get to know him." Tara turned to face Sam.

Sam reached out and tucked Tara's hair behind her ear. "Guess we have that in common.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." He breathed moving in closer.

"What else do we have in common?"

"Well…" Sam leaned down to Tara's ear to whisper to her.

Sookie turned to the bar to get the annoying red-head's drink when she saw Sam whispering in Tara's ear. Tara was smiling. Tara almost never smiled. Sam looked happy too. Sookie had to mentally slap herself for not wishing them the best. She decided that it was probably just because she thought she'd had what they had only to be betrayed by the one she loved. Sookie looked at Tara practically blushing and wondered…

_If she loved Sam this much, how could she run off for three months?_

A small part of Sookie was dying to know what her friend was thinking, but she made Tara a promise a long time ago that she wouldn't read her mind, but she never promised Sam. In fact he once told her she could read his mind if she wanted, and he'd never rescinded the invitation.

Sookie lowered her mental blocks and listened to the shifter.

_God, she's so beautiful. I can't wait until tonight. She smells incredible. I always thought Jason was crazy not to notice her. She's all mine. Skin like satin. So much better than chasing after Sookie._

All off Sam's thoughts were jumbled, but Sookie knew that they had to have been clear and strong for her to get so much. Most of the time all she got from her boss were feelings and moods.

The blonde slowly approached the bar. She was just about to ask for the Long Beach when Sam placed his hand on the side of her best friend's face and kissed her softly on the lips. The kiss looked sweet and loving. He hovered just an inch over her lips before gently kissing her again. Sookie realized she was staring and cleared her throat. They both turned to look at her which made her feel that three was a crowd.

"Sorry Sook." Tara smiled.

_Oh my God._

_Well would you look at that. This place is going to the dogs._

_Unbelievable_

_It ain't right…white man…black girl_

_Why'd she have to stop them?_

So many thoughts flooded into Sookie's head. She'd been out of practice and it took her a while to get her guard back up. Both Sam and Tara looked concerned which upset Sookie because she knew that she could take care of herself.

"Um…Tara. I was just wondering how long before you're going back home."

"Sookie?" Sam seemed to think that was inappropriate.

"It's just that I know you ran out after Jason and I was wondering if you remembered to lock the door is all. If you're going home soon it's no big deal though." Sookie smiled

Tara knew that smile. There was a lot going on in her friends head right now, although she didn't appreciate Sookie bring Jason back up. "I'll head home before too long." She answered. Sookie was right. She had forgotten to lock the door to the house, and she'd already let too many bad things walk though those doors, namely MaryAnn and Franklin. The place still wasn't completely cleaned up.

"Alright then." Sookie continued to smile as she took the drink, place it on her tray, and walked back to her section.

Sam sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"What?" Tara asked.

"You're going home?" It was partly a question and partly an accusation.

Tara realized that once again her foot was in her mouth. Sam had taken the evening off to go to Shreveport and now he would want to spend that evening…get reacquainted.

"I'll figure it out." Tara walked over to her boyfriend and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Don't worry. We'll have our time together."

"Tonight?"

"Tonight."

"'Cause I'm willing to throw you over my shoulder if that's what it takes." Sam wrapped his arms around his love and placed a small gentle kiss on her lips.

After another thirty minutes of sharing the bartender duties and flirting Jessica walked into the Bar incredibly flustered. She was muttering to herself about moving in with Hoyt, but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Tara standing behind the bar. Jessica ran over to Tara at vampire speed and hugged her as if they were long lost friends.

"Thank God you're back."

"What the hell are you doing?" Tara exclaimed

"Sorry, I know you don't like to be touched." Jessica released Tara and sighed.

"Jessica, you alright?" Sam asked over Tara's shoulder.

"I hate tending bar." Jessica spoke to Tara and enunciated every word. "I do not like it."

Sam laughed and Tara rolled her eyes.

"Sam please tell me I can go back to being a hostess now."

"Tara hasn't agreed to come back to work yet." Sam smiled enjoying watching Jessica fret.

"Agree." Jessica commanded. "Please agree."

Tara leaned away from the baby vampire. "Are you trying to glamour me?"

"No." Jessica shook her head. "But I could. I wouldn't, but I could" She answered.

Sam and Tara looked at each other equally enjoying seeing Jessica on pins and needled. Tara decided to stop torturing her."Relax. Hell, I'll come back."

"Oh thank you." Jessica embraced Tara once more. "I know you don't like to be hugged, but this one's for me."

Sam laughed and patted Jessica on the back. Then he made his way out of the bar to speak to Arlene.

"Sam." Tara called for him. "Sam." He looked back at her and smiled knowing it might be a full minute before Jessica released his girlfriend. "Damn it Sam."

"I'm going to make sure Arlene and Lafayette are alright with locking up." Sam called over his shoulder.

While he spoke with Arlene he looked over to the corner booth and saw that the Werewolf was still there. The man even when so far as to raise his beer mug to the bar owner. The dark-haired Were gave Sam a very very bad feeling. He wanted to get Tara out of there.

"So you're back for good."

"Do you need me to write it down Jessica?" Tara rolled her eyes.

"It's just that everything was complete shit when you were gone. The bar was all weird and Sam was a mess. He ran off to Shreveport almost every night."

Tara almost jumped at Jessica's words. "Did anyone not know where I was?"

"Bill told me." Jessica shrugged.

"How the hell that…" Tara was about to say blood-sucker, but though better of it since she was speaking to Jessica. "How did he know?"

"He never told me. All he knew was that Sookie wasn't with you."

"So …he didn't know where Sookie was either."

"Nope. Drove him crazy. I think he went to Peru just to distract himself from it."

"Still there?"

"Yep."

"Good."

Jessica turned all the liquor bottles so the labels were pointing out. "Maybe Sam will get some sleep now. He was up all hours of the night for the longest. All day too. Completely renovated the trailer. Hoyt helped him carry the stuff in. It gave me a lot of ideas for what I want to do with our place. Me and Hoyt."

Tara was only half listening to the vampire as she rearranged the bar, but news that Sam renovated his nasty ass trailer peaked her interest.

"He got new furniture?"

"Yep. It's cute too. Still manly though. I think I want to do more red in our place."

Jessica trailed off and Tara resumed not listening as she wondered why Sam would replace all his furniture. It's not like he knew that she was coming back. Or maybe he had just hoped. It placed a huge weight on Tara's shoulders to know that Sam had undergone such preparations for their relationship.

Sam reached for his lover's hand and smiled. "Ready to go? I'm all finished up here."

Tara was slightly startled when Sam interrupted her thoughts, but tried not to show it. "Can we drop by the house so I can lock the door before…?" She trailed off when she saw Jessica beaming at her.

Tara had decided to try to be a nicer person, but she really wanted to ask the vampire when they had become bosom buddies. As far as she knew Sookie was her only friend.

"Sure. Sounds like a good idea." Sam pulled Tara towards him and wrapped an arm around her shoulder as he looked over to make sure that the Werewolf was still in his booth.

"Jessica," Sam called.

"Yeah, boss."

"I'd like you to keep an eye out." He looked from her to the Were and back again.

"Sure thing." Jessica nodded.

Sam led Tara out of the bar.


	6. Chapter 6

Sam pulled the truck up to his trailer and put it in park with the engine still running so they wouldn't get cold. Once the sun had gone down the temperature dropped drastically. Luckily Tara had remembered to grab her coat as she locked up the house. Since she was spending the evening with Sam they left her car back at Sookie's place.

Tara just couldn't shake the odd feeling that she had. She didn't even know what it was in reference to. She'd never been nervous around Sam, she wasn't even sure that it was Sam that was making her apprehensive, but something was telling her not to get out of Sam's old pickup truck.

She placed her hands in lap and rubbed them up and down her thighs.

"You nervous?" Sam asked.

"Fuck no. I don't get nervous." Tara smiled trying to shake off that creepy feeling.

"Me too." Sam sighed and slid down in the seat a little.

"Why do you think that is?" Tara folded her arms across her chest.

Sam shrugged and looked out the driver's side window at his bar. "Don't know. Maybe because we never planned it before."

"Never been in love before." Tara whispered.

"Afraid it will be different?" He looked over at his girlfriend.

"Afraid it will be the same?" She returned his glance before the both resumed staring out the window.

"I thought you were in love with Eggs?" He pointed out.

"I thought so too, but MaryAnn had my head so turned around I can't be sure of any damn thing."

"You sure about this?"

Tara stared at Sam and uncrossed her arms. "This is the only thing I am sure about. You're the only one that ever loved me with no strings attached. Afraid if I get out of the car I'll fuck it up."

"Thought that was the point." Sam chuckled trying to make Tara laugh, but it didn't work. She simply stared at him trying to hold it together.

"I hate feeling so fuckin' vulnerable."

"Yeah I know." Sam sighed again. "You know, no one ever loved me with no strings attached either… no family….no woman…we may be completely different, but were exactly the same. And you don't have to run from me for fear that I'm going to leave first."

Sam slid over so that he was closer to Tara who moved in as well.

"Can you trust me…not to hurt you?" Sam leaned his head in to Tara who moved closer to her lover again.

"I'm tryin'"

Sam nodded. "Baby steps."

Sam placed his arm around Tara's shoulders and closed the distance between them. Tara reached her hand up and placed it on Sam's stubbly cheek. She smiled wondering how often he bothered to shave. Sam returned her smile kissed her softly on the lips

Tara moaned softly into the kiss and wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's shoulders drawing him in. He deepened the kiss pulling Tara's leg across his lap then allowing his hands to roam over the curves of her shoulders, waist, and back.

Tara ran her fingers through Sam's hair as he lifted her up and placed her down straddling his lap. Their kiss was deep and sensual and had Sam's juices flowing to his crotch.

Moving his kisses from her mouth he trailed them along her jaw and finally settled on her neck, right below the ear, where he remembered she was insanely sensitive.

Tara gasped and dug her fingers in to her lover's shoulders. She couldn't believe he'd remembered that trick. That trick that only he knew, the one that never failed to make her head swim with pleasure.

Knowing that he was driving his goddess wild the shifter decided to intensify the sensation. Slowly he raised her cream sweater to reveal the smooth chocolate skin of her stomach. Then he trailed his fingers along her skin in slow erotic patterns causing Tara to tremble in his arms.

"Sam." She whimpered wanting him desperately and unable to contemplate how she could ever leave this man who knew her so well.

Consuming his mouth Tara kissed him intensely. Matching her intensity Sam used his thumb to open her mouth so he could explore and taste her. Tara responded by pressing her core against the growing bulge in his jeans.

Sam pulled back from Tara unable to standing not having her for a second longer. He looked over towards the trailer and she followed his gaze then slowly nodded.

Opening the door Tara climbed off Sam's lap and out of the truck.

As soon as the door was open Sam could sense that the fresh air was carrying the scent of a Were. He turned off the engine and hopped out of the other side of the vehicle scanning the parking lot and surrounding forest. He didn't see anyone, but they were certainly out there.

Tara met Sam at the front of the trailer and attempted to run her hands up and down her chest, but he firmly turned her toward the trailer and hurried her up the steps.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothin'"

"Don't nothin' me Sam. Is something out there?" Tara looked around trying to see anything out of the ordinary.

Everything was silent, too silent. No bar patrons came or went. No birds chirped. Even the breeze stood still. All of which raised the hairs on the back of Tara's neck.

Sam suddenly stiffened and moved Tara behind him pinning her against the door of his trailer. She tried to escape, but it was useless. There was that strength again. He shushed her and sniffed the air. Tara watched him not smelling a damn thing.

"Jessica." Sam spoke.

Tara's brow furled she didn't know if that was a question or an answer or a statement, or what.

At vampire speed Jessica appeared five feet in front of them with a grin on her face and a petite blond Werewolf in her clutches.

"Lookee what I found hiding in the bushes." She sang.

Sam released Tara, but kept his arm in front of her. Now that she was free Tara almost tripped over herself to get from behind Sam and see what was happening. Tara did not appreciated being man-handled.

"Stephanie?" Tara couldn't believe he eyes. First she showed up at her apartment and now here.

"What are you doing here?" Tara went to take a step down to the ground were Jessica was holding the blonde, but Sam held her back.

"She's a Were." Jessica announced. "A little baby Were. Boss did you know that Were's have some of the most succulent blood, and I have not had dinner yet."

"Don't even think about it you blood sucking bitch." Stephanie threatened in an eerily calm voice.

Sam unlocked the door to his trailer and reached in to turn on the living room light.

"Jessica, why don't you bring our guest inside."

Sam stepped out of the way and motioned for Tara to enter the residence, followed by Jessica and her Were hostage, and finally Sam stepped inside after them closing the door.

Tara stepped inside the trailer and quickly searched for a chair. Locating one she moved it to the center of the room and slammed it down in the middle of the floor. Silently Jessica forced Stephanie down in to the chair.

"Here." Sam instructed as he threw the Vampire a rope.

Jessica tied Stephanie to the chair with no hope of her escaping. The young blonde glared at them.

Tara walked over so that she was staring Stephanie in the face. "So I take it you're not some silly little girl that works the makeup counter at Belk."

"By day." Stephanie smiled.

"Why are you stalking me?"

"I was worried. I see you've taken up with a shifter." She glared at Sam who met her star equally.

"What's it to you?" He accused.

"Never you mind." She rolled her eyes and looked away from them to stare at the wall.

"Jessica." Sam crossed over to stand next to Tara. "Why don't you have a look around outside."

"Sure." The Vampire headed for the door. "By the way, I have learned how to properly dismantle and discard a body so that it will never be located." Jessica smile and opened the door to the trailer.

"You do not want me for an enemy Red." Stephanie warned her as Jessica closed the door.

"What do you want with me?" Tara demanded reclaiming the Were's attention. Stephanie stared at her, but did not answer.

Sam turned to Tara. "Is she one of the Weres that help hold you captive in Jackson?"

"I would have killed them." Stephanie interjected

"No. Didn't meet her until I went to Belk." Tara ignored her interruption

"You said she was following you?"

"She popped up when I was packing this morning out of nowhere."

They both looked back at the tiny Were who sat serenely on the chair as if ropes were not holding her to it.

"Is she on V?" Tara asked Sam wondering if he could smell stuff like that.

"I'm not a blood-traitor. I wouldn't touch the stuff." Stephanie spat clearly offended.

"If she was on V Jessica would have had a difficult time holding her." Sam answered then sat on the arm of the couch.

"Maybe I wanted to come into the trailer. Did you think of that shifter?"

"What's your fuckin' problem? You're the one stalking me and then you want to catch an attitude?"

"I had to be certain that you were cared for since your protector is gone."

"What do you mean protector?" Tara was stunned that someone out there had been watching her before.

"The Were from last night." Sam answered. Things were beginning to click together in his head as he sat there studying Stephanie and her answers carefully.

"The Were you killed. And his name was Clayton."

"Fucker was trying to attack me." Tara yelled.

"Clayton was loyal. He would never have harmed you." Stephanie stared into Sam's eyes. "You provoked him. That's why he shifted."

"You weren't there." Sam stood up defending himself. He'd be damn if he was going to let a stranger accuse him of murdering someone in cold blood in his own house. "Now I think it's time that you stared answering some questions. Do you have any connection to the Weres in Jackson that do V.?"

"I told you I'm not a blood-traitor, never touched the stuff. Besides there isn't any pack in Jackson anymore.

"I thought there were tons of them. Sookie said she saw over a hundred at that were-bar." Tara informed her boyfriend.

"There were." Stephanie laughed. "That pathetic bunch didn't have a pack-master. They followed a Vampire. Once the head was cut off they scattered like ants. Soon things turned to civil war. Can you believe they're trying to join our pack? We don't let blood-traitors in.

"That still doesn't explain what you want with me." Tara leaned over the blonde in an attempt to intimidate her, but it had no effect.

"A maenad, a vampire, and a shifter…you're a powerful woman Tara. I had been searching for months when you just fell in my lap." Stephanie was practically giddy considering she was the one trapped in the chair and it was two against one…three against one if you counted Jessica.

Sam shook his head getting fed up with getting nowhere with the young girl. "Tara didn't fall in your lap. She moved to…"

"I was speaking to Tara." Stephanie cut him off.

"Oh hell no bitch." Tara defended her man.

"Tara that mouth." Stephanie chastised.

Sam stormed over to Stephanie and crouched down in front of her so he could look her directly in the eye. "You're willing to fight for Tara? So am I. We want to be together and you following her around isn't going to change that."

Stephanie leaned into Sam and far as her restraints would allow. "You can't always have what you want." She seethed just as there was a yelp outside, then, everything went black.

The door swung open and Tara screamed. No one was standing there and somehow that was even more creepy that seeing the silhouette of a stranger. Suddenly Sam's body slumped to the floor and everything fell quite.

Tara was trembling and had to force herself to pull it together. How many time had she complained that she didn't need anyone to protect her and here she was wishing that Sam would get up or that Jason would ride though the door on a white horse.

Somehow she made it to the kitchen and located the flashlight that she's seen there once before. Turning it one she scanned the room. Stephanie had vanished and Sam was sprawled out on the floor. Tara moved closer and could see a tranquilizer poking out of Sam's neck. She bent down and removed it tossing it aside.

"Sam." She gently pushed him trying to get him to wake up. "Sam." She called a little louder. He moaned and Tara thanked God that whatever was in the dart didn't harm him too badly.

Just as Sam was beginning to rouse Tara heard a low moan coming from outside the trailer. Slowly she stood, prepared to use the flashlight as a weapon, and walked over to the door way. Once she was on the porch she could see that Jessica was on the ground with a silver chain draped over her body in a criss-cross pattern.

"Oh my God." Tara exclaimed as she rushed to the vampire's aid slowly removing the chain that had burned her body in several places.

Jessica hissed clearly in pain. "There were two of them. Fuckers tag teamed me. One of them was the Were in the bar earlier.

"There was a Were in the bar earlier?" Tara asked. "Why didn't you tell us that before?"

"Cause I already knew." Sam mumbled holding his head and leaning against the door frame.

"You're keeping secrets?" Tara asked displeased that Sam had told Jessica and not her.

"I'm not the only one." Sam responded sitting down on the porch steps as Tara removed the last chain from Jessica's skin. "You alright?" He asked the vampire.

"No." she shouted. "Ass holes drained some of my blood so I'd be too weak to fend for myself."

"Did they drink it?" Tara asked. That would be odd since Stephanie had gone on and on about them not being 'blood-traitors'.

"No. They wasted it on the ground." She complained. "I need to eat." Jessica looked up at Tara.

"Don't fuckin' look at me. I've provided vampires enough blood to last a lifetime."

"I need you to get me some Tru Blood."

Tara knew she couldn't leave either one of them in this state. They wouldn't be able to defend themselves. Instead she remembered that she'd left her cell phone in the pocket of her coat in Sam's truck. She retrieved it and called Sookie to bring some blood for Jessica and aspirin for Sam.

Sookie arrived a few minutes later, blood and aspirin in tow.

"What the hell happened?" Sookie asked her best friend.

"Weres attacked us again." Sam winced taking the aspirin and water from Sookie.

"Again?" Sookie shook her head looking from Tara to Sam and back again.

Sam sighed. "You didn't tell her about the attack in Shreveport?"

"How could you fail to mention that Weres were after you?"

"You'll forgive me if It's a little difficult to keep up with all the shit we're not talking about these days."

Sookie's mouth hung open for a second before she thought better of picking a fight with Tara who had clearly been through enough.

"Why don't I take Jessica home?" Sookie reached down to help the vampire up off the ground.

Sam pushed off the porch steps to stand and reached for Tara. "I think you should go with her."

"Sam." Tara protested.

"Just for tonight. They cut the power to the trailer and I can't fix it until the morning. I'll crash in my office."

Tara bit her lip while she searched her brain for an argument.

"Don't worry. They're gone and I'll be over in the morning as soon as I fix the power."

Even though he was groggy Sam placed a kiss on his lover's lips that left her wanting more. Reluctantly Tara followed Sookie and Jessica to the car grabbing her coat and bag along the way.


	7. Chapter 7

Sam checked himself over in the rearview mirror of his pickup before grabbing the red roses off the passenger seat. It hadn't taken him long to reconnect the power to the trailer that morning, thankfully, so he had plenty of time to shower, get dressed , and pick up flowers for Tara.

As he knocked on the front door to Sookie's house he realized that he was a little nervous. It almost felt as though he was calling on Tara. He'd been down this road before and it had not gone well. Sam hoped that this time everything would turn out for the best.

"Who could that be?" Sookie wondered out loud as she took her work gloves off and stuffed them in her jeans pocket.

"Maybe it's Jason." Tara shouted from the living room.

"Why would Jason knock?" Sookie mused.

"I don't know Sookie." Tara responded feeling slightly short tempered.

Sookie swung open the front door and saw Sam standing there in his best jeans holding a dozen red roses.

"Wow. What are you doing here? Not that I'm not glad to see you, it's just that it's nine in the morning." She rambled on smiling.

"Um…came to see Tara."

"Of course. You two are dating now. She's in the living room. We got up early to try and clean up some of Maryann's mess. I'll take those and put them in some water."

Sookie grabbed the roses out of Sam's hands before he could protest and sniffed them smiling.

"They're gorgeous." She gushed, turning on her heels to walk towards the kitchen leaving Sam standing in the doorway.

Sam entered the residence closing the door behind him and looked towards the right. There was his love standing on top of a step ladder cleaning the mantle. She looked beautiful in a pair of black yoga pants and a long sleeved heather gray t-shirt.

Sam slowly approached Tara watching her.

"Fuckin' Maryann." Tara breathed as she scrubbed a particularly stubborn stain on the mantle.

"Tell me about it." Sam whispered inches from Tara's ear.

"Ahh." She screamed as she turned around and almost fell of the ladder.

Sam caught Tara their faces inches apart.

"Careful. I don't want anything to happen to you." He gazed into her eyes.

Tara could barely catch her breath. "Then stop sneaking up on me." She teased.

"And miss that reaction?" He asked innocently. "Not to mention holding you in my arms."

"Wouldn't want to miss that." Tara breathed as her eyes fell to Sam's slightly parted lips.

"I don't want to miss anything." Sam pulled Tara closer regretting how the previous evening ended.

"Tara these are, without a doubt, the most beautiful roses I have ever…" Sookie sauntered into the living room with the roses in her grandmother's vase when she saw that the two we about to kiss.

"Sorry." She smiled and looked around the room for a place to put the roses.

"Sam. You didn't…"

"Don't say I didn't have too." Sam smiled letting Tara go so she could walk over to the coffee table and admire the flowers.

Tara felt weird in her own skin being the recipient of red roses at nine in the morning. She wiped her hands on her pants searching for something to say. "We were just trying to clean up Maryann's mess. I only took her a day to wreak havoc on this place, but it's been months and we've barely gotten anything accomplished."

"I know." Sookie rolled her eyes looking around at the room. "My grandmother would turn in her grave at the sight of it."

"Well we better get a move on." Sam smiled walking closer to Tara who smiled.

"Sam, that's sweet, but no one expects you to help with this. If anything it's my fault for letting Maryanne in in the first place."

"What's yours is mine."

"So my fuckups are your fuckups?" Tara laughed.

"That's right. From now on we fuck up together." Sam smiled and Tara laughed.

"That's perfect." Sookie smiled. "Cause there's a huge pile of heavy trash that needs to make its way to the trash cans right though there."

Tara glared at Sookie, but Sam placed his warm hand on her shoulder and smiled.

"Yes Ma'am." He winked at Tara as he passed her on his way to dispose of the trash.

Once Sam was out of sight Tara took Sookie's arm to turn her around.

"You know, for a mind reader, you have terrible timing." Tara put her hands on her hips glaring at Sookie.

"I'm sorry Tara." Sookie shrugged. "Jason's late and that stuff does need to go to the trash can."

"I'm talking about before… when we were about to kiss."

"So one minute I'm suppose to stay out of your head, and the next you want me to read your thoughts, from the next room, so I can tell if you're about to get lucky?"

"I'm not asking you to read my mind. I'm just saying that was a private moment."

"And I already apologized for it."

The front door opened and Jason appeared carrying a bag from Dunkin Donuts and three coffees in a carrier.

"I know, I know. I'm late, but you can't be mad, cause I come baring gifts." Jason held the bags of donuts up and waved them so Tara and Sookie could see.

"Jason. You drove all the way to Monroe just to get Dunkin Donuts?"

"Yes I did, and…I even got your coffee just how you like it." He smiled.

"You do not know how I like my coffee." Sookie smirked folding her arms.

"The hell I don't. One cream and extra sugar." Jason handed Sookie her coffee.

"Okay. So maybe you do know." Sookie took a sip and walked over to the coffee table.

"What about me?" Tara smiled

"You…" Jason wiggled his eyebrows which made Tara laugh. "Like extra cream and extra sugar. Plus I got you your favorite."

"What's that?"

"One inside out Boston Cream Donut." He handed her the small bag as she tried not to smile unsuccessfully.

"I'm not impressed."

"I know you are." Jason argued.

Tara took her coffee and took a sip. It was perfect. She turned around without saying and word and placed it and the bag on the mantle before she continued cleaning.

Jason watched Tara clean as he crossed over to stand next to Sookie who was enjoying her coffee. He handed her the bag of donuts.

"Is my favorite in here?"

"You have a favorite?"

"Glazed with the pink frosting and sprinkles…since I was like five Jason."

"Sorry." Jason ignored his sister and watched Tara attacking the mantle.

"What's up with her?"

Sookie licked frosting off her fingers. "Well. She and Sam and Jessica were attacked by a couple of Weres last night."

"Again?"

"Yeah. They held Jessica with silver chains that burned her skin and shot Sam with a tranq. gun that knocked him out."

"Is Tara ok?"

"I'm fine Jason and I don't appreciate white folks talking about me like I'm not here." Tara spoke without turning from the mantle.

Jason walked over to Tara and placed and hand on her shoulder.

"Seriously Tara. You must 'a been scared out of your wits. I wish I'd been there. I'm sorry."

"Jason I don't need you to protect me. I'm fine."

"Yeah Jason." Sam entered the living room. "Not your job to protect her." Sam stared Jason down remembering the last time they spoke.

"Trash's out." Sam told Sookie as he walked around the couches.

"Is it?" Jason asked as he put his hand on the wall just behind Tara.

"Thanks Sam." Tara smiled at him.

"No problem." He smiled back.

Jason pushed off the walls and turned toward Tara. "You wanna tell me what's going on with these Werewolves?"

"I've got it under control Jason." Sam informed him through clenched teeth.

"I don't think so. They shot you with a tranquilizer. Tara needs someone who can handle a gun."

"I can handle a gun and I can protect my girlfriend. Do you get that Jason? _My girlfriend_."

Tara looked back and forth between them before throwing her rag over her shoulder. "I don't need either of you to protect me. I can look after myself, been doing it for years." Tara walked between the two men towards the stairs in the foyer. "And I don't appreciate being first prize in a damn pissing contest." She shot over her shoulder.

"Tara wait." Jason started to follow Tara to the stairs.

"Jason." Sam caught him.

"Get your hands off me." Jason pulled out of Sam's grasp. Sam peacefully put his hands up.

"Jason, Tara needs you to leave her alone."

"You been leavin' her alone enough for the both of us."

Sookie caught up to all of them in the foyer. "What's that suppose to mean?" She asked her brother over Sam's shoulder.

"It means if Sam hadn't run off to find his good for nothin' parents after Eggs died, and left Tara alone, Franklin wouldn't have gotten his hooks into her…or his fangs for that matter."

"Jason." Sookie chided him. "You can't blame Sam for Franklin's crazy behavior."

"Well you were right here Jason." Sam challenged. "Why didn't you protect Tara?"

"Oh my God! Do you two hear yourselves?" Tara yelled from the top of the stairs. "You're arguing about shit that doesn't even matter."

"The hell it doesn't. You didn't answer the question." Sam moved aggressively towards Jason.

"What question?" He glanced up and Tara who was beginning to clam up.

"You're all over Tara now, but apparently you were pretty distant back then." Sam put his hands on his hips and clenched his jaw.

"I was?" Jason looked up at Tara who was descending the stairs to stand beside Jason.

"Leave him alone Sam."

"Now who's protecting who?" Sookie put her hands on her hips mirroring Sam.

"Whom?" Tara glared at Sookie to stay out of it.

Sam paused for a moment looking back and forth between his girlfriend and Jason.

"What's going on?" He demanded softly.

Neither of them spoke. Sam turned to look at Sookie.

"Both their minds are completely blank. They're hiding something."

Sam turned back and looked at Tara again. "Tara."

Tara's bottom lip started to quiver and Jason knew she was about to spill the beans, he just didn't know which ones, or how many."

"Jason shot Eggs." Tara apologized to Jason with her eyes as he started to back away from all of them. Tara hated the look of betrayal she saw in his eyes.

"It was an accident. He thought Eggs was trying to kill Andy and Andy covered for him."

"Tara." Jason shook his head not believing that Tara and had told them.

Tara started crying and Sookie moved around Sam towards Jason.

"How could you not tell me something that important? You've been carrying this around all this time?"

"You bastard." Sam seethed.

"Sam." Tara tried to call him down.

"Hey, it was a fuckin' accident!" Jason shouted.

"I'm not talking about that. You were the one that took Eggs away from her and then you left her alone? Damn it Jason do you every consider anyone but yourself? Tara tried to commit suicide!"

"Sam I told you that in confidence!" Tara pushed Sam.

"Tara?" Jason and Sookie both gasped shocked that they had never known someone who meant so much to both of them had been in such serious trouble.

Jason walked towards Tara silently asking her to come to him and wishing he could wipe her tears away.

"Damn it Jason!" Sam pulled Tara behind him. She was too mortified to protest.

"I've had enough of your judgment and if Tara wants to come to me that's her business!"

Jason tried to push Sam out of the way so he pushed back.

"Absolutely not!" Sookie yelled. "If the two of you are going to come to blows you'll have to take it outside. It will not be in my grandmother's house!"

Jason looked from Sam to Sookie and back again. "Then let's take this outside."

"After you." Sam nodded toward the door.

Jason swung the door open so hard that it hit the wall. He stomped through the door way followed by Sam and both men walked off the porch into the front lawn.

"I'm gonna kick your ass mutha' fucka'" Jason shouted.

"Bring it on pretty boy."

Sookie looked out the door at the two men circling each other. "This is insane!" She stared at Tara expecting her to agree, but Tara was lost in her own little world practically rocking in place. "Tara!" She yelled.

"What?"

"Hello. Sam and Jason are about to rip each other apart over you. What the hell's the matter with you? Somethin's been off since you got back from Shreveport."

"What the hell am I suppose to do?"

"How 'bout talking some common sense into your boyfriend, or my brother for that matter. You can't just play with people's feelings Tara."

"Oh that's rich. How many love triangles did you run in and out of in the last six months? I've lost count."

"We don't have time for this!" Sookie shouted looking back out the door at the pair of men circling. No one had thrown the first punch yet. Sookie looked back at Tara expectantly, but her best friend just stood there. "Damn it Tara." Sookie threw her hands up in the air and ran down the front steps to try and get between her brother and her boss.

"You two need to get a grip. What's this going to prove?"

"Get her out of here." Sam instructed.

"Sookie, damn it, get back."

"I will not get back. Who do you think you're talking to? Have you both lost your minds?"

Sam chuckled. "She's right Jason. Even if you won this fight, you still wouldn't have Tara. You'd still lose." He taunted.

"You're full of shit Sam Merlotte. If Sookie so much as batted an eyelash at you you'd leave Tara high and dry."

"That's not true! I'm over Sookie. Have been for a while. You're one to talk. Heard from Crystal lately?"

"Fuck off! Maybe she'd still be here if you hadn't tried to kill her father with your bare hands."

"You're calling _me_ a killer?" Sam fumed.

Jason threw a right hook to Sam's chin and Sam returned the favor. In no time the pair were throwing punches and rolling on the ground cussing at each other. Sookie screamed for them to stop, but they ignored her.

Tara walked out on the porch and stood on the top most step watching the brawl. Finally Sam got the upper hand and sat on Jason's stomach delivering punches to his torso and face. Soon he drew blood and Jason stopped fighting back.

"Sam stop it!" Sookie commanded worried for her brother.

"Sam." Tara called from the porch, but Sam was in a rage and didn't even hear the girls call his name.

"Sam you're hurting him!" Sookie screamed tears forming in her eyes.

Tara calmly walked on to the grass over to where Sam and Jason were. She knelt down behind Sam over Jason and put her arms around her lover's torso holding him.

Sam stopped hitting Jason when he felt his girlfriends touch.

"Baby stop. It's not a fair fight." Tara spoke calmly through her tears. "I can't bear to lose any one else that means something to me."

Sam closed his eyes and placed his hands on top of Tara's. He silent cursed himself for losing control and letting Jason Stackhouse get the better of him. Sam pushed up off of Jason and away from Tara and Sookie. He went over to the porch and sat on the steps with his head in his hands.

Tara still sat over Jason.

"You okay?" She asked.

"How could you tell him?"

Tara knelt down and helped Jason to his feet.

"I had to give him something. He still doesn't know about Franklin." She whispered and Jason nodded. He'd played with fire and he knew it.

"You keep that fucker away from me." Jason shouted and headed to his truck."

"Jason you shouldn't drive." Sookie called out. Seeing Jason finally get off the ground unfroze her and she ran to his truck just as he peeled out.

Sookie turned back to face Sam.

"Sam Merlotte. You know good and well that Jason is no match for a shifter. You should have walked away."

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm sorry Sookie. Tell Jason."

"I don't think he wants to hear it and frankly…neither do I."

Sookie stormed off to her own car to follow her brother and make sure he was alright.

Sam looked over at his girlfriend. She had some of Jason's blood on her gray t-shirt which made him feel even worse.

"Say something." He breathed into the crisp air.

"I'm numb." Tara offered with a shrug. "I can't figure out which one of us gets to be mad. Tired of being pissed off all the damn time." Tara bit her lip and wiped her face clean of old tears. "Is this my fault?"

"No." Sam shook his head. "Come here." He held out his hand for Tara and she came over to him kneeling between his legs as he sat on the porch. "I don't know whose fault it is. Guess it was going to happen sooner or later. I'm not even sure it's over." Sam looked at Tara who turned her head.

"Don't do that Tara."

"Do what?"

"Keep shit from me. That's what I really cared about. Damn it I love you woman!"

"I love you too. I just don't know how. I told you I'm fuckin' terrified and no good at this."

"What are you afraid of Tara?" Sam cradled the side of her face and she leaned into it.

"You think I'm gon' leave or change my mind about loving you?"

"Yes. That's why I always run and leave first."

Sam sighed and ran his fingers though her hair. "Maybe we should take leavin' off the table."

"What do you mean?"

"It's not an option for either one of us to cut and run."

"You serious?" Tara looked him in the eye. "No matter what? Even if I piss you off you won't high tail it outta here?

"You can't leave either. Tara I couldn't take it if I lost you for a third time. Hell Tara…I need you. I need you with me baby." Sam wrapped his arms around Tara's waist and pulled her toward him.

"I'm with you. I love you. Only you."

"Not Jason?"

Tara shook her head. "Jason doesn't make me feel like…"

"Like what?"

"Like I deserve love. Like I beaut…" Tara broke off.

"You are beautiful." Sam whispered against her skin placing a kiss on her forehead. "Think you can stay away from Jason for a while?"

"Think you can refrain from beat the shit outta him?" Tara picked up one of Sam's hands and saw the bloody knuckles starting to heal.

"I'm sorry about Eggs Tara."

"I don't want to talk about Eggs…or Jason, or Franklin…or anything." Tara placed her hand on Sam's cheek and leaned in for a kiss.

His lips were strong and demanding. Tara knew what they both needed.

"What _do_ you want to do?" Sam breathed against her lips before recapturing them and pulling their bodies against each other.

Without breaking the kiss Sam and Tara stood and walked inside Sookie's house.


	8. Chapter 8

True Blood, The Sookie Stackhouse Novels and all if its characters belong to Alan Ball and Charlene Harris. All Original characters belong to me (HoneyLove27). No copyright infringement intended. For entertainment purposes only.

Sam closed the door to the house and pushed Tara up against it cradling her face with both hands so he could stare into her deep brown eyes for a moment. Then he consumed her mouth evoking a low moan from his lover. It had been a long time, but it all felt so familiar, her touch, her sweet smell, her soft velvety skin. Sam's senses were overwhelmed with the knowledge of her.

Running his fingers though her hair he pulled her head to one side so he could devour her neck. Tara gasped grabbing his shoulders. The pleasure of Sam's hands running along her body and his lips on her neck was making her head swim. She grew weak in the knees and was thankful that her boyfriend had her pressed up against the door.

"Baby I missed you." Sam confessed into Tara's hair while his hand rediscovered her waist and stomach then her sides and finally her breasts. He began stroking and massaging her gently, then his touch grew rougher and more demanding. "I missed your kiss." He kissed her lips. "And your eyes." He kissed her again. "And your nails ripping up my back." He tasted her lips then let their tongues play.

Tara though her head would explode and her toes would curls up in her shoes. She whimpered against his lips, but Sam didn't release her. He swept one arm under her legs so he was cradling her. Then he carried her up the stairs to her bedroom and placed her on the bed lying beside her.

Staring into his deep blue eyes Tara ran her fingers though his hair. "No one ever did that? Carry me up the stairs like Scarlett 'fuckin' O'Hara."

"Well…your name is Tara. Bound to happen sooner or later."

Sam held Tara gaze as he placed a finger on her neck and trailed it slowly between her breasts down her stomach to the hem of her t-shirt. Slowly enough to make Tara almost beg for it he lifted her shirt then moved to plant kisses on her stomach.

She arched her back with desire. "Sam." She breathed loving him…wanting him.

Sam straddled his girlfriend and pulled her up to a sitting position so he could remove her shirt. Once her shirt was discarded she pulled at Sam's shirt, discovering that the buttons were snaps, she ripped it open then ran her hands down his chest licking her lips.

"Did you miss me, Baby?" Sam inquired.

"Every long ass night." Tara confessed. "I haven't been with anybody since you."

"Me either." Sam pushed Tara back into the covers lying on top of her.

Using his teeth he moved the straps of Tara's navy bra off her shoulders then kissed the exposed skin trailing his tongue to the valley between her breasts. He could see her nipples through the thin fabric. Focusing all of his attention on one he let out a slow breath causing it to harden and beckon to him. The shifter took his lover's nipple in his mouth making her groan with need.

Tara kicked off her shoes and Sam shed his boots and pants. Now naked he ran his hands from her feet up her legs and the front of her thighs until her reached the top of her yoga pants. Hooking his thumbs under the fabric of her pants and underwear he gently pulled them off and tossed them on the floor.

Crawling between her legs he caught her gaze and slipped one hand beneath her unhooking her bra. Now there was nothing between them.

"Do you love me Tara?"

"Yes."

"Say it."

"I love you Sam.

He leaned down pressing their bodies together so his lips were near her ear. "What do you want Tara? Do you want me inside you?"

"Yes."

"Say it Cher." He pleaded.

"I want you inside me Sam."

Sam pushed into her in one thrust causing her to grasp and grab on to his back. Sam trembled as he felt her surround him and pull him in deeper. He went deeper than he'd even been and he felt her trembling around his manhood.

"Jesus Tara." He pulled out and went in again causing Tara to almost cry from pleasure.

Thrusting into her over and over he couldn't remember ever feeling this way. Being this completely connected to another woman. He wrapped his arms around her and repositioned their bodies so he was almost cradling her, changing the angle of his thrusts.

"Sam!" She screamed into his shoulder as he increased his speed going harder, faster, and deeper than he could ever recall.

A pressure built in his body pulling at his core. It grew in intensity. He slowed things down a bit by grinding into her not ever wanting their lovemaking to end. Finally when he could take it anymore he pushed up looking at his love and gave her all the love with in him.

"Tara." He called to her. She opened her eyes and was caught in his trance. Their hearts connected as they approached the cliff together and went crashing over letting trembles wash over their bodies.

Sam collapsed on top of her and they held each to eternity.

Tara lay with her head on Sam's chest and her leg draped across him. Her fingers drew lazy circles on his chest. Sam looked over the smooth skin of his lover and slowly ran the tips of his fingers from her wrist to her shoulder and then down the length of her back. She squirmed when he reached the small of her back.

"That tickles." She laughed.

"Not the response I was going for."

"Didn't say I minded." She teased. "We should probably jump in the shower before Sookie gets home."

"She's already here." Sam informed her.

"What?" Tara nearly yelled just before covering her own mouth. "She did walk in while we…she didn't hear anything…"

"Nah, she got here 'bout five minutes. Which is good because someone was screaming earlier." He smiled.

"You usually take that as a compliment." She playful swatted his chest and the both laughed.

"Seriously though, you can hear her down there? I can't hear a peep."

"Shifter." Sam shrugged.

Tara moved so she could prop her head up on one hand and met her boyfriend's gaze. "What's it like being a shifter?"

"As oppose to being a boring ol' human?" He smirked.

"I'm serious Sam. We never got to talk about…you know…how you're different."

"Alright." He nodded. "Well I run hotter than most."

"Tell me about." She interrupted with a smile.

"And I can hear a little better, smell a lot more, see farther…more clearly, uh… heal a little faster than most."

"Kind of like Superman."

"Guess that would make you Lois Lane."

"Yeah…if Lois Lane is a smart-ass black woman with an attitude and 'Fuck Off' permanently stamped on her forehead."

"She is. Haven't you ever read the original comic books?" They both laughed.

"So…I guess any kids…" Tara began.

"Would be shifters? There's a chance. Fifty percent I suppose."

Tara shook her head. "It's got to be more like seventy-five. I mean that's got to be a dominate jean."

Sam rolled over on his side to face Tara and ran his hand over her back. "Don't take this the wrong way but…it always surprises me how smart you are. You could do anything Tara."

"Yeah I know. Heard it before. Right now I only wish I was smart enough to figure out what those damn Werewolves want with me."

Sam sighed. Tara was right. There was some huge piece of the puzzle missing and without it they were clueless and blind.

"You need to learn to defend yourself."

"Excuse me."

"Not with words or even your fist. You can hold your own against a Were Tara. Plus we're out numbered. If something happens to me or we get separated you need to be able to take matters into your own hands. Jason might want you to be the damsel in distress, but I don't."

"Well what do you suggest?"

"Got any weapons?"

"I keep a metal baseball bat near the door."

"I was thinking more along the lines of a gun or a rifle."

"Sam." Tara sat up on the bed. "I can't shoot."

"I'll teach you." He sat up as well. "It's easy. And you can do anything right?" Sam pulled his love toward him.

Sam was probably the only person in the world that would place a loaded gun into Tara Mae Thornton's hands, but that he did. Tara stared down at the 9mm. It was light-weight…sleek. Hard to believe it could actually do some damage, like stop a Werewolf in his/her tracks. She rolled her fingers back and forth letting the gun balance on her hand.

"Don't be fooled Tara. That could kill someone." Sam nodded to the gun placing his headphones around his neck.

"Has it?" Tara raised an eyebrow and a smirk.

Sam sighed. "Tara, be serious. I know we're out here alone in the woods…"

"Yes we are."She teased.

"…but shooting guns is dangerous."

"Then why did you give me one?"

"So you can protect yourself. Now play attention."

Tara sighed and turned back towards the tree stump with a loaded paint can planted in the middle of it. She almost hated to shoot the Dutch Boy in the face.

Sam stood behind Tara and placed his hands on hips squaring them off. The he adjusted her shoulders.

"You should begin my placing your hips shoulder width apart and facing the target. Place your hand high on the gun, but keep it away from the slide so it doesn't pinch you."

Tara did just as he instructed as he moved around her to check her stance and secure her hold.

"Not you want to align your sight with the gun. Make sure that the front sight alignment and the rear sight alignments match up."

"Ok." Tara lined up the sights.

"Now you aim at your target. You want to pick the largest mass to hit and then aim for the center. Remember…never shoot at anything you aren't positive you can hit.

"Got it." Tara nodded her head.

"Now take a deep breath, line up your sights with the target, focus your sight on the gun, take a deep breath and shoot on the exhale."

Sam placed his headphones on his ears and watched Tara follow the steps just as he instructed. The gun shot rang through the trees and the paint can wobble from being grazed."

"Damn!" Tara sighed removing her headphones.

"Nah Cher that was good for your first shot. If that had been a man you would have hit him in the chest."

"Well what I do wrong?"

"You pulled the trigger. Made the gun jerk."

"How the hell else am I suppose to shoot a gun, Sam?"

"You squeeze the trigger until it catches. Think squeeze not pull. Isolate your trigger finger."

Tara placed the headphone back over her ears lined everything up and squeezed the trigger. She hit the paint can and a tiny hole burst near the top of it. Tara practically jumped for joy making Sam chuckle.

They both removed her headphones.

"See, you got this." Sam rubbed Tara's shoulder.

"I'm surprised I haven't done this before."

"It's a great stress reliever."

"I could always use more stress relief." Tara laughed. "So who taught you how to shoot?"

"Learned at a gun range when I was about seventeen or so." Sam took the gun from Tara and aimed at the paint can with his right hand. He shot it dead center."

"That's not fair. You have those special, I-can-see- better-than- the-average-Joe, shifter eyes."

"I just have a lot more practice."

"You usually shoot with one hand?"

"Yeah, but I want you to use two until you get used to it." He handed the firearm back to Tara. "This one's yours. I have another one back at the trailer."

"No." Tara shook her head putting her hands firmly on her hips.

"Tara."

"Uh- uh Sam. Black people do not own guns."

"Sure they do."

"No they don't. Only black people you ever see with guns are thugs, drug dealers, gang members, and pimps."

Sam took Tara's hand and wrapped it around the 9mm. "Just hold on to it for me."

"Sam Merlotte just because we're dating does not mean you can man handle me."

"I think you like it." He teased.

"Do not. Hate it…think it's a terrible trait." She winked at him.

"Really…cause I'm willing to bet that it gives you a tingling sensation in a very sensitive place. Tara, I want you…" Sam paused moving behind Tara to whisper in her ear. "…to put a hole in the middle of that paint can."

Tara raised the gun, exhaled, and squeezed the trigger. A new hole was in the middle of the paint can. Tara lowered the gun. She was getting better with each shot. But would she be able to do the same when there was another person at the end of the barrel?

"Do you ever wish your old man had been the one to teach you?"

"I don't wish for anything from that man…either one of them." Sam ran his fingers through his hair and exhaled trying to find the best way to bring it up, but nothing came to mind so… "I've been thinking…what if you moved in with me?"

"Move in? Like live together? You and me? Sam I think we might kill each other." Tara shrugged.

"Look I know the trailer's small…"

"Size has nothing to do with it. Everything's a little fucked up now. We shouldn't be making life decisions." She reasoned.

"I just don't think that Sookie's house is the best place for you right now."

"Right." Tara shook her head. "Is this because of Jason?" She accused.

"Jason has nothing…why are you even bringing him up?"

"You're jealous! I would have thought the two of you would have beat the jealously out of other."

"It's not because of Jason ok. Damn it Tara. Sookie lives alone in the woods next to a grave yard. What if you get attacked in the middle of the night and…she might not even be there.

"Just like we got attacked at your trailer, with Jessica, a fuckin' vampire, standing guard outside? It doesn't matter where I am Sam."

Sam sighed hearing the truth in his girlfriend's words.

"Besides. Fear and jealously are two pretty shitty reasons to move in with somebody."

"I'm not jealous!" Sam shouted.

"The hell you aren't. If anyone should be jealous it's me."

"Now what's that suppose to mean?" Sam asked stepping in to her.

"When we first got together I was just a substitute for Sookie."

"Tara?"

"Admit it." Tara stared into his blue eyes daring her to lie to him with a gun in her hands.

"Maybe the first time." Sam stated softly. He could see the pain on Tara's face immediately. "That's all over baby. I love you. You know that don't you? You know I'm not…I'm not using you."

Tara took a deep breath to hold back tears. "I know."

"You trust me don't you?" Sam searched Tara's deep brown eyes.

"With my life. I'm working on my heart."

"Sure." Sam could accept that. He knew that Tara had a lot of walls up. He intended to knock them down one at a time. He placed his hand on his lover's cheek and she leaned in to it. "Why didn't you tell me about Eggs?"

"Same reason you haven't brought up Tommy since I've been back. Something's are better left unsaid."

Sam and Tara stared into each other's eyes for a while unsure of how to proceed. Neither of them had won the fight, and this would not be the last time Sam tried to convince Tara to move with him, he'd just have to find a better way to ask. He smiled at his love and she smile back weakly just as a tree branch snapped in the distance.

Sam's head turned in the direction of the sound. He inhaled deeply and caught the scent of a Were. He thought the man would be hiding, but sure enough he was standing about two hundred paces from the couple.

Sam's shirt was off in a flash. He unbuttoned his jeans and shifted into a collie before they hit the ground.

It all happened so quickly Tara hardly had time to blink let alone react. She looked down at Sam's discarded jeans surprised to see him not still inside them. Just as she was wondering if she should pick them up or not everything went black.

Remember a firearm is a deadly weapon. Please consult a profession before using one and always think of your safety and the safety of others. – HoneyLove27


	9. Chapter 9

True Blood, The Sookie Stackhouse Novels and all if its characters belong to Alan Ball and Charlene Harris. All Original characters belong to me (HoneyLove27). No copyright infringement intended. For entertainment purposes only.

Hoyt pulled up to the Merlotte's Bar and Grill parking lot banging on the steering wheel, listening to the radio. He decided to get there a little early tonight even though he knew that Jessica couldn't join him until the sun when down. Something in him just felt like being social. It was like everything had been put back to right now that Sookie and Tara were back in Bon Temps and the atmosphere was electric. Dating Jessica made Hoyt feel like he was part of the action now instead of a Mama's boy sitting on the sideline watching other people live their lives. Hoyt wondered what the evening held in store.

Turning off the engine Hoyt hopped out and decided it was too warm to grab a jacket. He'd just head in and grab a beer. Just as he closed the door to his truck the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and shouted that something was wrong. Walking away from the vehicle Hoyt turned around in a circle slowly looking for anything out of the ordinary in the waning light of dusk. He saw a shoe peeking out from the back corner of the bar.

Walking closer he was able to see that the shoe was still on someone wearing a pair of jeans. Once he came around the corner he saw Tara laid out pristinely as though she was in a coffin. Both legs were straight and her hands were folded neatly over her stomach. Even her hair looked perfect. The only thing that was off (besides lying on the ground) was that there was a 9mm right next to her.

"Tara?" Hoyt called half hoping she pop up and tell him this was some sort of farce, but she didn't move.

"Tara." Hoyt called again this time kneeling next to her.

_Oh crap. What if she's dead?_

He placed his hand just over her nose to determine if she was breathing. He sighed with relief when she was, but something was still terribly wrong. Placing one arm under neck and the other under her legs he picked her up and carried her and the gun through the back door of the bar into the back hallway.

"Hello. Sam, Sookie, Arlene….Somebody help."

Hoyt opened the door to Sam's office just as Sookie and Lafayette rounded opposite corners.

"Hoyt? What are you doin' back here?" Sookie asked as her eyes lowered from Hoyt to Tara who was clearly unconscious.

"What the hell happen?" Lafayette demanded following Hoyt and Sookie into Sam's office.

Sookie sat on her knees and Hoyt laid Tara so that her head was in Sookie's lap.

"I found her out back laying on the ground like someone put her there." Hoyt told them as he put the gun on the desk unsure of what to do next.

"Honey…can you hear me." Sookie ran her finger though her best friend's hair willing her eyes to open.

"Come on girl, time to wake up." Lafayette gently shook her shoulders, but there wasn't any change in his cousin.

Sookie looked up at Lafayette with panic in her eyes. "What wrong with her? Where's Sam? I thought they were together."

Hoyt shook his head. "She was all alone."

"Hey now Hooka, don't do this to me." Lafayette shook her a little harder to no avail.

"Tara!" Sam yelled as he swung the back door open and ran to his office. Everyone turned to look at him as he entered the room, but his eyes were only on Tara. "What the hell happen?"

"That what's I want to know." Lafayette stood up as Sam knelt down next to his girlfriend.

"I don't know." Sam shook his head. "I had to leave her in the woods for a bit…"

"You left her?" Sookie accused.

"She was supposed to wait for me. When I got back she was gone without a trace."

"Somethin' happened to her out there. We need to know what Sam." Lafayette pressured.

"Damn it Lafayette I don't know. There was a man out there. I followed him. There must a been someone else."

"Do you think that man was a werewolf?" Hoyt asked trying to piece the puzzle together. Everyone in the room looked at him. "Jessica told me about the attack last night."

Sam nodded to him. "It was defiantly a Were. We just can't figure out what they want. They keep playing with us."

"Like pawns on a fuckin' chess board." Lafayette mused leaning against Sam's desk.

"Tara please wake up." Sookie begged growing more and more anxious with each passing moment.

"Are you getting anything?" Sam asked her. She shook her head no.

"It's time for our last resort." Lafayette announced and left the room.

"I shouldn't have left her." Sam ran his hands through his hair staring down at his love.

Sookie placed a hand on Sam's shoulder and looked into his eyes. "Sam Merlotte this is not your doing. Don't blame yourself. You were trying to protect her."

"Once again I failed." Sam's eyes fell from Sookie back to Tara's lifeless body. He pulled Tara up into his arms and hugged her as he placed a kiss on her cheek.

Just then he smelled something odd. He leaned her away from him a little so he could look her over and discover the source of the smell.

"What's wrong?" Sookie inquired as she watched Sam trace a finger along Tara's lips and then turn his finger over. It was red. "Blood?" Sookie asked.

"It's not Tara's." Sam answered. "It's Vamp blood." Sam seethed.

"Like 'V'?" Hoyt asked taking a few steps closer to the three of them on the ground.

"No." Sam shook his head. "It's fresher than that."

"But a vampire couldn't have been out. It's…it's daytime." Hoyt shrugged trying to wrap his head around the facts.

"Sam, what the hell is going on?"Sookie demanded

"I have no fucking idea?"

Sam pulled Tara up again and patted her cheek. "Come on baby. Wake up. Don't do this to me Tara. Come on."

Lafayette reentered the room with a black satin drawstring sack and sat on the other side of Tara opposite Sam.

"Lay her back on Sookie's lap." He instructed taking a pill out of his bag.

"What is that?" Sam asked as he lay his love back down.

"The only thing that will get to her." Lafayette took a deep breath and broke the capsule underneath Tara's nostrils. Everyone held their breath and waited.

Tara's chest moved then her head started to twitch and finally she sat up screaming.

"Motherfucker!" She yelled and flipped over on all fours coughing and holding her chest.

"She's awake." Lafayette announced closing up his bag.

Sam held on to Tara's waist and rubbed her back. "You alright?"

"No! My fuckin' lungs are burnin'"

"You're welcome." Lafayette stood and walked over to where Tara had crawled to. "You gon' be alright?" He told her looking her straight in the eyes. She nodded imperceptibly.

Tara finally sat up and Sookie wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Placing her hand over her mouth Tara coughed and then stopped breathing for a moment before licking her lips. Sam watched her intently.

"Vampire blood?"

Sam nodded. "Do you have any idea how?"

"No!" Tara yelled. "I watched you leave then everything went black then my fuckin' lungs were on fire. Now I've had Vamp blood. I'm over this shit. What next huh?"

Sookie pulled her best friend closer hopping that it gave her some comfort. She couldn't imagine the violation Tara must have felt to have been fed vampire blood while she was out of it.

Sam stood and paced back and forth in front of his desk before stopping and punching the wall.

"God damn it!" He screamed.

"Whoa." Lafayette tried to calm him down.

"Baby?" Tara asked.

"They're just fuckin with us. He led me on a wild goose chase all the way over to Monroe only to hop in a red pickup. They were just buying time and I feel for it like a fuckin' idiot!"

"Sam?" Sookie shook her head.

"Think about it." Sam reasoned. "Why would they give her vamp blood? They could have done anything to her and then used it to heal her up. There'd be no trace!"

"Fuck he's right." Lafayette agreed.

Sensing a break in the conversation Hoyt stood and moved towards the door. "It'll be dark soon and I should go wait for Jessica. Uh...Tara…I'm glad you're …ok."

Tara smiled weakly but gave up after a second.

"Thank you for finding her Hoyt." Sookie pulled Tara closer.

Tara looked at Sookie and then back up and Hoyt and this time gave him a more sincere smile.

"Thank Hoyt." Sam turned to the taller man.

"Sure." Hoyt smiled and opened the door to exit the office.

"Hoyt." Sam stepped towards Hoyt and put his hand on the door. "Thank you." He spoke from the heart.

"Hey you'd do the same if it was Jessica." Hoyt smile trying to shrug the attention off.

"In a heartbeat." Sam nodded honestly.

Hoyt gave a slight wave and left the office for the front of the bar. Sam tried to close the door behind him, but Arlene appeared in the door way piping hot.

"Sam. I might be eatin' for two people, but I cannot do the work of two people." She complained.

"Don't sweat your hair out. I'm coming." Lafayette stood up and followed Arlene out of the office. He turned back at the door to face his cousin. "Do not leave this office." He commanded.

Tara had just enough energy to roll her eyes.

After a painfully quite minute or two a small sob escaped from Tara. Sookie looked over at her friend's face to see that she was desperately holding back tears to the point that she was trembling. It broke Sookie's heart to see her that way, in so much pain. The blonde was at a complete loss as to how to help her.

At that moment Sam walked over to his girlfriend, slid down the wall next to her and pulled her into his arms where she sobbed loudly even though it was muffled by Sam's chest. Sam held her even more closely and leaned his head back against the wall.

Sookie knew that tears were about to spring forward from the shifter's eyes as well and that he'd rather she not be there to see it.

"Um…I have to make a phone call." Sookie rose from the floor, grabbed her cell phone from the bottom drawer of Sam's desk and went out into the hall to call Pam. Who knew more about vampire blood than a vampire?

Sookie dialed the familiar number and calmly waited for two rings.

"Fangtasia, the Vampire Bar with a Bite." Pam answered the phone dryly.

"Pam?" Sookie asked.

"Sookie." Pam cheered up. "Long time no see. How was your vacation?"

"Vacation?"

"That's what I've been calling it. Mostly because it has annoyed Eric to no end that you high tailed it out of town."

"Well there's plenty about Eric that annoys me so he can just deal with it."

"I've missed you." The vampire smiled into the phone.

Sookie smiled and rolled her eyes. "Pam I have a question. Is there any reason that someone…I mean a vampire would give a human blood."

Pam sighed. "Well…to track them or heal them I suppose."

"Track them?"

"Oh you know how every time you're the damsel in distress Eric and / or Bill come running without the aid of a GPS."

"I hadn't thought of that." Sookie spoke to herself. "But the people who are after Tara aren't Vampire's. They're Werewolves."

"Well that's a horse of another color." Pam laughed which annoyed Sookie. "Fine…Sookie, Eric wishes to speak to you."

Sookie placed her free hand on her hip. "Well I don't wish to speak to him."

"Lucky for you that_ I_ am Pam's maker." Eric smiled into the phone. "Sookie, it's been ages."

"Not long enough." She folded her arms.

"My dear Sookie, if you have questions regarding the activities of Werewolves perhaps you should ask them of your friendly neighborhood Were."

"Alcide." Sookie shouted then mentally kicked herself for not thinking to call him sooner.

"You owe me one." Eric grinned then hung up the phone.

"No I don't." Sookie told dead air before growling in frustration and the dialing Alcide's number

He picked up on the first ring. "Sookie." He sounded amazed her hear from her.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"I have your number saved."

"Oh right."

"How are you? I tried to call you a few times."

"I know. I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you. I was…on vacation for a few months." Sookie hated lying and the bad manner she's shown by not returning her missed calls and messages, but she'd been busy and would have gotten to it…eventually."

"I understand. You went through a lot. You sound better now though."

"I'm not." She disagreed.

"What's happened?"

"It's not me. It's Tara. There are a whole bunch of Weres out in Shreveport that are after her and we can't figure out why. They are terrorizing her and they just fed her vampire blood so they could track her. And that doesn't make any since because they consider all the Were's that were high on V to be 'blood traitors'."

"Damn. Did you say 'blood traitors'?" Alcide paused. "Sookie I think I should come there so we can figure this out."

"Alcide I don't mean to impose."

"It's done. I'll make some calls and ask some questions around here then I'll head over to Bon Temps. Is tomorrow night soon enough?"

"Of course. Thank you. And thank you from Tara too."

Sookie hung up the phone and found herself staring at it for a moment. She knew that she was excited to see Alcide and maybe even receive a little male attention.

Pushing those thoughts aside she opened the door to the office. Sam and Tara were still sitting against the opposite wall. At least no one was crying now.

"How are you Tara?" Sookie asked as she crossed the room to sit in Sam's chair.

"Tryin' to keep my head from splittin' apart."

Jessica came flying into the office at vampire speed followed by Hoyt and Lafayette.

"Are you hurt?" She asked frantically.

Tara shook her head. "No."

"Thank God. What'd they do to you?"

"I don't know and I don't feel like twenty questions."

"I'm sorry." Jessica sank into her heels.

Tara looked at the hurt baby vampire. "No. I'm sorry." She apologized.

"You've had vamp blood. It's fresh." Jessica watched Tara nod. "Those fuckers. I thought that Stephanie bitch said they hated vampires. Why are they using a vampire's blood?"

"That's a fucking good question." Tara pulled her knees into her chest. "We've got nothing but questions. What we need are some damn answers."

"Tara." Sookie sat on the edge of the chair. "I talked to Pam and Eric and the best they can figure is that someone's trying to track you. I also talked to Alcide and he's going to come here tomorrow night to try and help us."

"Great. One more person wrapped up in my shit storm."

"I think it's a good idea." Sam reasoned. "And I don't think you should be left alone anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"He means that one of us needs to be with you at all times." Lafayette knelt down next to Tara who was beginning to feel crowded.

"No. No fuckin' way."

"Yes Tara." Sam sighed growing frustrated. "In fact I was hoping that Jessica could pitch in."

"Hell yeah I will. I have a bone to pick with those assholes."

"I can't ask you to do that." Tara shook her head.

"Is it because I failed last time? They jumped me out of nowhere and had a silver chain."

"That's what I mean. What if next time they're prepared with a stake?"

"I've got her back." Hoyt announced.

Tara shook her head not wanting to hear what they were saying. She'd be damn if she'd be guarded twenty-four / seven.

"Tara Mae Thornton I cannot believe you are putting your pride before your safety. Besides we're not just doing this for you. They are messing with all of us. Do you have any idea what it would do to us if we lost you permanently?" Sookie scolded her friend after having temporarily listened in on her thoughts.

"She's right cuz. Since we ain't really had one I know you ain't used to it, but this is family. We take care of our own." Lafayette spoke softly to his cousin and could see the words sinking in as her resolve melted.

"Thank you." Was all she muttered before closing her eyes and leaning her head down on the top of her knees.

Sam rubbed her back and looked over Tara at Lafayette gratefully. He knew that he would have had one hell of a fight on his hands without the short-order cook's help. They nodded at one another.

"Come on let's get some work done. Sam'll take the first shift." Lafayette stood and shooed the others out of the office leaving Sam and Tara alone in the office.

Sam held Tara's hand the whole way over to the trailer. He could feel her trembling ever so slightly. He knew she was once again doing her best to self sooth and hold her shit together. He hated that nothing had changed much in the two days since she'd been back. He was determined to gather some answers tomorrow that would help free his lover from these Weres so they could concentrate on building a life together.

Once inside Sam turned on the light and Tara headed straight for the bedroom. She immediately began to open drawers in the room. Sam walked in and watched her.

"Somethin' I can help you with?" He asked unable to understand what she was doing.

Tara didn't answer she simply continued to open and close drawers until she found what she was looking for.

Finally she opened the correct drawer and reached in. "You moved them." She spoke softly.

Without turning to face her boyfriend Tara placed the object in his hands and walked over to the radio. She turned it on and cranked up the volume before pulling her shirt over her head and walking into the bathroom.

Sam opened his hand already knowing what was inside. Looking down at the condom he shook his head.

"Tara?" His call went unanswered. He entered the bathroom as Tara started up the shower. Her clothes were in a pile on the floor. Sam could see the outline of his lover's naked body through the shower curtain.

The shifter opened his shirt, kicked off his boots, and took off his jeans then stepped into the shower to join her.

The water was warm and inviting. Truthfully it seemed to wash away everything negative that had transpired that day. It washed away the fight he'd had with Jason and chasing the Were through the woods. It even alleviated some of the stress and panic Sam experienced when he'd come back to the sight where'd he'd left Tara and found only his clothing was left behind.

Tara turned to face Sam and reached for his face pulling him down into a kiss. Sam wanted Tara to feel safe and loved so he showed her that with his kiss.

She ran her hands down his torso and wrapped her fingers around his manhood stroking him. Sam groaned and returned the favor fondling his love's warm slick core. He gently rubbed his thumb and fingers against her nub altering the speed and pressure. He loved watching her face as he pleasured her. Soon Tara's eyes rolled back and she trembled as she came.

"Sam." She breathed.

He reached for the condom and applied it. Then he grabbed Tara's hips, lifted her up, and set her back down on him entering her. Tara moaned and melted around him. Slowly he moved in and out of her while staring into her eyes and getting lost there.

The steam from the shower caressed they bodies as they savored each thrust, every touch, and relished in each kiss.

Tara wrapped her arms around Sam's shoulders pulling him towards her and laid her head on his shoulder. "I love you Sam."

He picked up the pace and soon felt Tara tighten and tremble around him causing him to come. Once his breathing returned to normal he noticed that Tara was crying in his arms. He ran his fingers through her hair and held for as long as she needed.


	10. Chapter 10

True Blood, The Sookie Stackhouse Novels and all if its characters belong to Alan Ball and Charlene Harris. All Original characters belong to me (HoneyLove27). No copyright infringement intended. For entertainment purposes only.

Tara walked off the steps to Sam's trailer and shielded her eyes from the morning sun. It was unusual for the sun to be so bright in late January. She looked over at Merlotte's, but the parking lot was completely empty. There wasn't a soul around the place which was strange. Most often someone was there this time to open up. Even Terry's truck was missing.

"Sam?" Tara called out. His name bounced off the trees and echoed.

She looked around and found him standing in the deep in the woods leaning against a tree. She smiled and wondered what in the world he was doing standing in the forest this time in the morning.

Tara took a step towards him and heard a slight rustle. Looking down she discovered the source of the sound and realized that it was her. She was wearing a dress… a white dress…a long flowing satin white wedding gown…and no shoes.

_What the hell?_

Tara walked forward a few feet to view her reflection in the window of Sam's trailer. She gasped when she saw the beauty of the dress, not to mention her in it. It brought tears to her eyes. At that moment she realized that part of her had never truly believed that she would get married.

"Sam." She called to him happily. Once again his name rang out into the woods.

When he didn't turn she walked towards him. Every step she took was more lively and quick then the last until she was practically running towards her groom. Tara released a gleeful laugh. She hadn't run barefoot since she was a young girl playing with Sookie.

Nearing her love she saw that he was wearing all white as well and leaning against a tree with his hands shoved in his pockets. Sam Merlotte had never been sexier than he was at this moment.

Tara stopped just short of him surprised to discover that she wasn't out of breath, but invigorated. "Sam." She laughed and he turned around to meet her eyes.

Only it wasn't Sam at all. It was Franklin Mott. Tara attempted to gasp in horror, but he pinned her up against the tree almost knocking the wind out of her.

A different type of tear formed at the corner of her eye as she looked at him. He was wearing a white button down shirt that was completely open and white slacks. Franklin was barefoot as well.

"Tara my love." He pined and looked into her eyes with longing.

"How?" She whispered. There were countless reasons that this wasn't possible. Jason killed him three months not to mention it was broad daylight.

"Nothing could keep me from you. Not even death." He gently caressed her cheek before running his fingers over her lips.

Tara trembled with fear but found the courage to reach up and push his hand away.

"I love our little cat and mouse game." Franklin smiled.

"This isn't a fucking game." Tara annunciated. "You can't be here. Jason killed you."

"Yes." He seethed. "Jason Stackhouse does seem to delight in killing your boyfriends. Tell Sam to watch out."

Tara frowned. "You were dead before Jason told me about Eggs."

"Tara my pet, you're dreaming. I'm a part of you." Franklin traced Tara's collar bone with his fingers then trailed down over Tara's breast where he drew circles.

This made Tara furious. Just as she opened her mouth to protest Franklin claimed it as his own pressing her into the tree. His hand left her breast, trailed down her waist and hips then snatched the dress up to expose her chocolate legs.

"I'll always be with you." He threatened and pulled her leg up wrapping it around his thigh.

"No." Tara shouted. It reverberated off the trees, but reached no one's ears. She was completely at the vampire's mercy.

"Yes my sweet Tara. I know you've missed me." Franklin kissed her lips as he reached under her dress and ripped her underwear off. She whimpered in protest.

Franklin's lightning quick fingers fondled and caress her core which betrayed her. Regardless of the fact that she was terrified of this man her womanhood responded to his familiar touch. It tingled and welcomed him. Tara could feel herself getting wet and closed her eyes

When his fingers entered her warm slick core her eyes shot open. She hated how good it felt. She was desperate to remember every horrible thing that Franklin put her through, but now all that was coming to mind was the amazing tantric sex they had.

His fingers pumped in and out of her vigorously and she grew limp in his arms. Through the haze she saw his fangs pop out and knew how much he was enjoying himself. Tara grew tight around his fingers and gripped his shoulders as her head hung back. She stared up at the canopy of leaves and branches that formed a web over the bright blue sky.

"Come for me Tara." Franklin commanded and she did. Tara released a scream that shook the canopy and echoed forever. She heard herself again and again.

Once she came down from her high the vampire pulled his fingers out of her and kissed her fully on the lips. Tara opened her eyes after the kiss and noticed a shadow out of the corner of her eye. She turned towards it but it remained a shadow.

"Who's that?" She questioned.

Franklin looked from his love over to the shadow and smiled. "That's a Jack of all trades."

Tara sat up in bed screaming. Nervously she searched for Sam, but didn't see him anywhere. Since the trailer was relatively small she knew he had to be outside. Tara bolted from the bed and ran to the front door yanking it open. Franklin turned to greet her smiling.

She screamed again.

"Tara, what's wrong?" Sam asked.

Tara blinked again and realized that it really was Sam and not Franklin standing in front of her. She relaxed a little and placed her hand over her rapidly beating heart.

"I…" She shook her head. "Bad dream."

"Sounded like a nightmare the way you were screamin' Cher." Sam climbed the porch steps and ran his hands up and down Tara's arms trying to sooth away the goose bumps that had formed there. "Want to tell me about it?"

Tara tried to form the words, but couldn't decide where to begin…or end. She really had no desire to reveal the sexual nature of the dream, or let Jason having killed Franklin slip. Finally she decided to sum everything up with one word.

"Frankin." She sighed. Sam pulled her into his arms and hugged her. It releaved Tara not to have to explain how dreaming of Franklin had affected her. She wrapped her arms around her boyfriend and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Um…mornin' Tara." Terry broke the silence.

Tara glanced over at the man and noticed that he was averting his eyes. Looking down she discovered why. All Tara was wearing was one of Sam's old t-shirts and it was riding up a bit. "Sorry." She giggled. Tara wasn't particularly shy, but she knew how others could take things.

"Sam, I should go home for a bit and change clothes. I don't have anything here." Tara pulled back from him.

"Ah…" Sam ran his hand through his hair looking over at the bar. "I've got a ton of stuff to do this morning before we open."

"Well I can just borrow the truck for a bit. You don't mind me drivin'?"

"No." Sam waved the thought off. "It's just…"

"What?" She inquired.

"You can't go alone."

Tara rolled her eyes and groaned.

"Tara, I was serious last night. You shouldn't be out by yourself."

"Um…" Terry cleared his throat in an effort to not be rude. "I could take her there…and bring her back."

"I'll drive my own car back." She clarified.

"I'll follow her then."

That seemed to satisfy Sam who simply nodded his head.

Tara changed and Terry drove her over to Sookie's house, pulled up in the front yard, and parked the car.

"Terry." Tara began. The veteran looked over at her. "I want to think you for…lookin' after Sam while I was gone. You're a really great friend to him."

Terry shrugged and ran his hands over the steering wheel. "Of course. He's a lot better now that you're back though. I think he knew you'd be back. Re-did the whole trailer."

"Yeah. I keep forgetting to tell him how nice it looks now. I'll be right out." Tara opened the door and went inside the house.

"Sookie." She called out to her friend.

"She's not here" A groggy voice called from the kitchen.

Tara rounded the corner through the dining room into the kitchen where Jason sat shirtless drink a beer at the kitchen table. "Oh my God." She shook her head and approached him slowly. "Jason I had no idea."

Tara sat on the chair next to him examining the damage Sam had inflected. Jason's left side was bruised, so was his chin and there was a cut on his lip.

"Just when I was beginning to think it didn't look as bad as it felt." Jason tried to laugh which only made him wince.

Tara noticed his red swollen knuckles and went to the sink to wet a rag. "Where's Sookie?"

"She took my truck. Had to run an errand or somethin'."

"Any particular reason you ain't wearin' a shirt?"

"Well as a matter of fact I tried to get dressed, but this side over here…" Jason motioned to his left side.

"Is anything broken?" Tara leaned down and placed her hands on the bruised rib to determine the extent of the damage. This caught Jason's breath and he placed his hand on top of hers to move it away.

"No." Jason tugged on his beer. "I played football, so I'd know it anything was broken."

She took his left hand and began to tend to his knuckles as she shook her head. Tara couldn't figure out why Sam and Jason had felt the need to fight in the first place.

"You fuckin' deserved it you know. I mean not all this this, but…"

"Man, Fuck Sam Merlotte!"

"I have." She teased as she took the beer out of his hand and moved on to the other set of knuckles.

"Rip my heart out why don't you?"

"Jason, what is going on with you? I don't understand all this…this…devotion you have all of a sudden."

"I've always been protective of you. Sam Merlotte is not good enough for my Tara."

"Your Tara?" Tara dropped his hand and rinsed out the rag.

"Tara that man would run to Sookie in a minute. He rode into town with nothing but a bunch a secrets and lies"

Tara shook off Jason's statements. "No. All that's over. We talk about it. Beside you're one to talk about secrets and lies Jason."

Jason stood and walked over the sink to stand next to Tara who avoided his gaze. "Why'd you tell Sam about Eggs?"

"I told you."

"You could have given him any piece of shit answer to make him feel better. Tara…I thought that was going to stay between us…just like Franklin."

Tara suddenly turned from Jason at the mention of Franklin's name and grabbed onto the side of the sink for support.

"Tara?" Jason placed his hand on her arm.

"I'm sorry. I'm drowning in secrets. Feels like there isn't a person in my life that I'm not keeping a fuckin' secret for. My head's all fucked up lately. I'm always betraying someone and I just want to fucking breath. I can't…" Tara trailed off sobbing.

Jason tried to turn her around so he could embrace her, but she pushed him back with more strength then she should have possessed and he knew it.

"Tara, what happened?" Tara stood still willing herself not to cry.

"Tara. I know you don't do V." He slowly passed the distance between them. "It's me Tara. You can trust me." He reached her and placed his hands on her shoulder which seemed to soften her resolve. Then he pulled her into a hug.

"They came for me yesterday. Knocked me out and gave me vampire blood. Apparently it was fresh." She buried her head in Jason's bare chest as silent tears fell.

"Fresh?" Jason asked and Tara nodded into his chest. "That takes you deeper than normal V."

"I wouldn't fuckin' know."

"Well I would. And you're one of the few people that know that." Jason placed his head on top of Tara's and pulled her even closer. "There's something else that's got you spooked." He rubbed her back attempting to sooth her tears away.

"Franklin."

"What?"

"I dreamed about him this morning which I hadn't done since right after I drank his disgusting blood. It was…vivid."

"But Franklin's dead." Jason pulled back enough to see Tara's face.

"Then why is he still torturing me?" Tara shook with the effort to hold back sobs.

I pained Jason to see like look of utter helplessness on Tara's face. He'd give anything for her to laugh again. Hell he'd even take her angry, but not like this…not…broken.

"I wish I could protect your mind the way I protect your body." Jason shrugged realizing how odd the phrase ended up sounded and put his forehead together with Tara's. He wiped away her tears and gently rocked her back and forth soothing her.

"I promise you, I'll get them Tara."

Tara nodded knowing that Jason meant every word he spoke. He might not be able to save her, but damn it, he was going to try and that meant to world to Tara.

"Alcide is coming into town tonight. We're all going to talk and try to figure out what the fuck is going on with these Weres. I…I want you there Jason."

"I'll be there. You know I'd do anything for you Tara." Jason wiped one more tear off her face, but allowed his hand to linger. Her eyes met his and he couldn't resist her. He knew it was wrong, but the moment fell incredibly right to him.

Jason lifted Tara's chin and kissed her sweetly on the lips.

"Fuck." Tara gasped pushing Jason off her again. She stared at him in disbelief and ran through the dining room to the stairs. "This is so fucked."

"Tara wait up." Jason ran after her.

"No Jason." She turned on the stairs towering over him. "This is my fault."

"It's not anybody's fault! I love you."

"Are you fuckin' serious?" Tara walked down one step. "Because we've been down this road before…when you were on V. Maybe it's just the V that you're into." She accused.

"Tara I screwed up. I was fuckin addicted to that shit and it messed with my head. But what I felt for you was real. I know that now. I was just…runnin' away from anything that made me feel. Then I was off with those Fellowship fucker and you were with Eggs. Then I shot Eggs and I…I couldn't…you know…after that…so I ran again."

"You ran to Crystal. If she hadn't left we wouldn't be having this conversation." Tara put her hands on her hip feeling that she had won the battle.

"But…you're the one I thought about every day. You're the one I missed. The one I protect. The one person that accepts me for me and doesn't think I'm a dumb fuck. You're the one." Jason climbed the stairs until he was standing one below Tara who stood there bewildered. "What am I suppose to do? He took her hand in his and they both looked down.

Tara delicately reached for their hands then pulled hers away.

"Let me go." She answered his question and left him on the stairs as she went to change clothes and packed a bag to stay at Sam's for a while. Tara knew that she had to distance herself from Jason for everyone's sake, including her own.

"Thanks Terry." Tara called over her shoulder as she open the door to Sam's office to toss her bag inside. She knew that Sam was tending bar for lunch and she was supposed to take the dinner shift while he caught up on paperwork. Tara giggled to herself, that man was always behind on paperwork.

Tara had showered at Sookie's and changed into a pale yellow long sleeved shirt and a denim skirt. She hadn't worn the skirt in years, but found it while she was packing some clothes. For the life of her she wasn't able to fathom what convinced her to put it on, but she liked the way it felt. She also put on a pair of brown boots she hadn't worn in years either. They were broken in and comfortable, but still nice looking. In fact they were her favorite pair of boots. She used them to walk away from Jason straight into Sam's arms.

"Who the hell are you? And what have you done with my cousin." Lafayette called from the kitchen making Tara smile. She walked into the kitchen and stood next to him while he dropped fries.

"Shut up bitch."

"Can't nobody tell you nothin' wit cha boots on. I see Sam has banged that 'I'm-a-move-to-Shreveport-to-get-away-from-it-all' nonsense right out of you." He laughed and humped the air.

"It ain't that big a deal."

"The hell it ain't. The last time I saw you in a skirt you mama had sobered up for the day and was draggin' us heathens to church."

"Oh my God, I remember that. We were in high school right?"

"Sometimes." They both laughed. "So, you figure you can keep Sam Merlotte's attentions if you show a little leg."

"This had nothing to do with Sam."

"It should. Getting' a man is one thing, keeping him is a whole new ball of wax. If I was you…I'd be the best lookin' bitch in here twenty-four seven."

"You are the best lookin' bitch in here twenty-four seven."

"Damn straight, but I don't you mind you givin' me a run for my money since we family an' all." Lafayette pulled up the fries and salted them. Then he took an order to the window and placed the ticket underneath the plate. "Are you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

Tara leaned against the steel table and sighed. "That both of us being in a healthy relationship is the first sign of the apocalypse?"

"Scary ain't it?"

"How is Jesus?" Tara asked genuinely interested.

"He's doin' what he do." Lafayette smiled.

"And doin' you." Tara playfully pushed Lafayette.

"That ain't none of yo' business little girl." He threw some shredded lettuce at his cousin.

Tara picket up a couple of sliced tomatoes and threw them at Lafayette. They stuck to his black muscle shirt for a second before sliding down.

"Oh that's it." He pretended to be angry grabbing Tara around the middle to tickle her, which he knew she despised.

"Cut it out Mutha' Fucka'" Tara squealed.

Sam leaned on the door frame to the kitchen and crossed his arms. "I thought I was payin' you to cook, not harass my girlfriend."

"I'm multitasking' . 'Sides she was my cousin first."

Tara broke free thanks to the vampire blood. She grabbed Sam's hand and led him to the office.

"You lucky, bitch." Lafayette laughed pointing at his cousin.

"I know." She teased from a distance."

Tara and Sam entered the office laughing. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately.

"What was that for?" She asked smiling in his face.

"We didn't have a proper good morning." He moaned kissing her again.

"No we didn't." She whispered against his lips.

"You look amazing."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Never seen you in a skirt. You look hot." He growled and kissed her neck.

"Sam." He moaned against her neck which tickled. "Sam." She laughed.

"What?"

"I need the key to the trailer so I can put my bag away."

Sam pulled back and looked over his shoulder at Tara's bag sitting in the corner. He smiled knowing that, as big as it was, she was staying for a while."

"So look so damn triumphant." She playfully swatted his arm.

"No."

"No what?"

"No you can't have the key." He smiled. She was about to complain when he reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of five keys. "Because I had these made for you."

Tara's eyes widened when she looked at the keys. She took them from her love and stared at them speechless.

"This one is to the trailer, the truck, warehouse, bar, and the office door." He showed her the keys one by one. "You can come and go as you please."

"Sam." Tara wrapped her hand around the keys and placed her other hand on the back of his neck. "This is better flowers, because this lasts forever."

Pulling him down to her she kissed him again.


	11. Chapter 11

True Blood, The Sookie Stackhouse Novels and all if its characters belong to Alan Ball and Charlene Harris. All Original characters belong to me (HoneyLove27). No copyright infringement intended. For entertainment purposes only.

Sam pulled Tara closer deepening the kiss.

_God she smells amazing._

He loved this woman. Loved the way he saw straight into her soul whenever he looked into those beautiful brown eyes. Loved the way she smiled when she looked at him. Loved how sweet and sensitive she had become. He felt as if he had finally met the real Tara Mae Thornton…and she was a goddess.

Sam meandered over to the desk taking his lover with him. Leaning her against the desk and hovered over her, running his fingers through her silky ebony hair. Sam sighed; he could smell the scented oil she used on her locks. Gently he placed his hand on her neck bending her head to the perfect angle. He sweetly licked her supple lips circling his tongue around and around ever so lightly. Then he pulled back an inch hovering over her lips before blowing a cool breeze onto them. Tara trembled in his arms.

_I love when she does that._

Tenderly the shifter ran his fingers down Tara's arm until he was caressing her hand which he took and placed over his rapidly beating heart. Without opening her eyes she began to slowly unbutton his shirt. It wasn't until she was finished that her gaze finally met his.

Tara's hand trailed down his chest and stomach to the top of his jeans where she ran her fingers back and forth. Sam's heart was beating even faster now. He was intoxicated by the scent and sight of his lover. He wanted her…needed to be one with her. Sensing his need Tara's hand traveled south to tease and caress his manhood through his jeans.

_Oh fuck._

Sharply taking in air he felt his arousal growing in her hand. There wasn't enough room in his jeans for how badly he desired his ebony goddess.

Sam pushed Tara's hand out of the way and reached around her to where her bottom met her thighs. Hoisting her up in the air he set her down on the desk. Tara's eyes widen with surprise as he slid his hands down the backs of her thighs parting her legs to stand between them. Once he was settled between her legs he yanked her forward so that their entire bodies were aligned and pressed together.

While he held Tara's eyes with his own Sam reached over and turned on the radio. The Speed of Sound by Coldplay floated through the room thickening the air with anticipation. Sam seized Tara's lips and let his hands travel up her legs pushing her shirt up to expose her lavender bikini cut underwear. He pulled them down her chocolate thighs and over her brown boots before shoving them in his left pocket. Then he gazed down at her. Tara bit her lip and look away slightly embarrassed.

_Adorable._

Sam smiled and raised Tara's leg over his shoulder. At the same time he hooked his foot around the rolling chair and brought it under him so he could sit down. Then he grabbed Tara's other thigh and lifted it so that her foot could rest on the edge of the desk forcing her to lean back.

Lovingly Sam parted her velvety folds and traced her core with his fingers. He heard her whimper and knew that she wanted more. He knew exactly what she wanted. No one knew her that way he did. Not Eggs, not Franklin, certainly not Jason Stackhouse. No. She was his. This…was his. Unable to control himself Sam licked his love's desire evoking a soft cry from her lips. He repeated the action and her hand grabbed a fist full of his hair begging for more.

Sam deepened the kiss and drank her in. Ever move she made, ever cry or gasp or moan fueled his need to please his beautiful goddess. Tara began to buck beneath him, but he grabbed her thighs and held her in the intense pleasure. Soon she started to tremble around his tongue. In response Sam focused his attention on her numb sucking and licking it, demanding that she come for him and him alone.

Tara sharply inhaled and shook panting as she waves of pleasure washed over her. Sam didn't stop until her orgasm subsided. He wiped his lips and stood to watched Tara for a moment finally releasing her legs.

Sam unfastened his belt and unzipped his jeans releasing his erection. Next he ripped open a desk drawer and grabbed a condom. Tara ran her hands up and down his chest while he applied it. He grabbed her hips gently lifting them as he pushed into her. The feeling of her warm silky core wrapping around him and inviting him in almost caused him come on the spot. Sam took a deep breath to steady himself and pushed into Tara again.

_Amazing_

Every thrust reached deeper into his love and deeper into his soul. He varied the angles the way he knew she loved and eventually raised her up and leaned back. She leaned as well to counter balance increasing the intensity of the thrust. Sam gasped and sat on the chair with his girlfriend on his lap. She grinded on him and he held her hips thrusting to meet her.

Sam and Tara stared into each other's eyes loosing themselves in the hazy heaven that was their sex until she threw her head back and clamped down on to him, her body shivering. Sam released with a groan and sank back into the chair pulling Tara to him.

The shifter sat there for several minutes with his goddess's head on his chest. He ran his hands up and down her back massaging her.

"Don't worry about your bag." Sam shrugged. "I'll take it over to the trailer while you're meeting with Alcide."

"Sure." Tara nodded fixing her hair.

"Hey there's somethin' I've been meaning to ask you, but it's been so crazy this week."

Tara paused in the middle of pinning her hair up to listen patiently.

"Have you spoken with your mother since you've been back?"

Tara stood up straight as Sam placed his hands on his hips.

"I'll take that as a no."

"It's not that I don't want to see her. I'ts just…"

"Tara she's your mother."

"Hell, I know that."

Sam reached out and tried to pull Tara to him, but she wouldn't budge and he didn't want to force her.

"Babe, I just want you to have some peace in your life with everything that's going on."

"I do have peace. We just had 'peace' all over the desk. And my mama is livin' a very peaceful life as another man's mistress."

"Really?"

"Last I checked."

Sam blew out air and rubbed the back of his neck. "Then maybe…she's the one that needs you. That could be grounding for you with all that's going on."

Sam leaned his head to one side and watched Tara finish pinning up her hair.

"I'll think about it." She muttered.

"That's fair." He nodded and smiled reaching for Tara again. This time she only pretended to protest and came to him. "I need you to watch the bar for a while. I got to catch on some paperwork."

"Multi-purpose desk." Tara teased. "I'll say goodbye before heading over to Sookie's."

Sam smiled and nodded in agreement before nodding to the door. Tara reached for the door then paused and turned back to Sam.

"Um…Sam." She called to her boyfriend who was now sorting through a mountain of loose papers. "Sam."

"Yeah?"

"I need…you know…my underwear."

Sam leaned against the desk and shrugged as if he didn't recall the panties that were tucked into his left pocket.

"Sam." Tara turned to face him fully.

"Bar needs tending. Jessica won't be here until night fall. 'Sides. Half the time you don't even wear underwear."

"I'm in a skirt damn it."

"Tara." Sam walked past her and opened the door to the office. "I've got a lot to do now get on out there."

"Are you fuckin' kidding me?"

"Nope." He smiled gently pushing her out the door then closed and locked it.

"I have a key you know." Tara stared at the door with her mouth open in pure shock. He thought it was hilarious for Tara to have to spend the next two hours tending bar without her…unmentionables on. She stamped her foot and headed out to the bar where Lafayette and Jesus her standing.

"Speak of the devil and she shall appear." Lafayette addressed Tara smiling.

"Welcome back Tara. You were missed." Jesus greeted her.

"Well I'm missing a few things too." Tara sighed tying an apron around her waist. Too bad it's wasn't longer.

"You look amazing." Jesus smiled.

"It's Sam Merlotte." Lafayette informed his man.

"Fuck Sam Merlotte." Tara announced.

Lafayette laughed. "Hooka Coldplay only covered about half of what when on in that office."

"I don't give a fuck."

"Actually…" Jesus couldn't help himself.

Tara huffed and grabbed a rag to wipe down the bar. Have the two of them making fun of her would be a lot more bearable with her drawers on.

"You look gorgeous is yellow." Jesus tried to make amends.

"Fuck off." Tara called over her shoulder causing the pair to laugh again.

"Oh come off it." Lafayette leaned on the bar. "Unless you already have."

"Tara." Arlene called approaching the bar.

"What?" She yelled turning to face the red head.

"Geez. What's got your panties in a knot? I just need a Bud light."

Tara laughed in spite of herself, poured the Bud light into a glass, and placed it on Arlene's tray.

"I like your hair up like that by the way. You know I think datin' Sam's been real good for you."

"Thanks for your approval." Tara smirked knowing that Arlene wouldn't be able to ascertain whether or not she meant it.

"You're welcome." Arlene replied carefully taking the tray over to her table.

"There is something different about you." Lafayette pondered studying his cousin while she refilled straws and napkins.

"Ain't nothing different. Same bullshit, different day."

Jesus placed his hand on his boyfriends shoulder. "Come on. Let's shoot some pool. Find a way to make it interesting."

"Everything I do is interesting." He followed Jesus to the pool table. "Try not to get yourself killed tonight." He called over his shoulder.

"I'll see what I can do." She rolled her eyes and opened the door to the cooler to take inventory of the bottled beers. TheTru Bloods were still in there. Tara remembered that the last person she served a Tru Blood to was Franklin and shuddered slamming the door closed.

Jesus racked the balls. "There is something different about her."

Lafayette grabbed a pool cue off the wall. "She's been going through a lot lately."

"That's not what I mean."

Lafayette turned toward his boyfriend silently asking for clarification.

"She's pregnant."

"They fucked like twenty minutes ago you realize."

"Hey don't take my word for it. Tell her to take a test. Though I am never wrong about these things. It's like a gift."

Lafayette placed his hands on the side of the pool table to brace himself. "Fuck."

After a couple of hours Sookie sauntered in the back door to bar looking for Tara.

"Hey. You ready to go?"

"I was going to meet you there." Tara took the rag off her shoulder and flopped it on the bar.

"But your car's at my place." Sookie reminded her friend.

"You weren't there this morning. Terry took me to get it and some clothes."

"Clothes?"

"Yeah." Tara began uneasily. "I'm going to stay with Sam for a while."

Sookie rocked back on her heels and collected herself. "Tara….don't you think it's a little soon to be movin' in with Sam."

"It's not permanent." Tara answered defensively.

"But why? And why now, in the middle of…all this."

Tara took off the apron and threw it on the bar before walking to the back. "Jason." She replied and headed to Sam's office.

"Jason?"

"Yes. Your brother Jason Stackhouse."

"I know who he is."

"Well did you know that he threw himself at me earlier at the house? Told me he loved me and kissed me."

Sookie took Tara's arm and led her away from the door to the office.

"You kissed Jason?"

"No. Jason kissed me. That's why I'm staying with Sam. Jason is one complication I can't handle right now. I'm keeping my distance until he finds the next love of his life and starts actin' normal again."

"Good luck with that."

Tara looked at her friend sideways. "What do you mean good luck with that?"

"I'm just not sure that Jason is completely full of it is all I'm saying. It might take a while for him to…get over it."

Tara walked backwards from Sookie. "I don't think I want to know anymore."

"Ok. We'll add that to the list."

"What list?"

"The list of things we don't talk about." Sookie reminded her best friend as Sam opened the door to the office.

"Hey Sookie." Sam nodded towards his employee and friend. "You headin' out?" He asked Tara.

"Yeah." Tara answered. "We'll come back after the meeting and help you close up."

"Thanks." He smiled. "Be careful." Sam reached up to touch Tara's cheek.

"Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I…" Tara trailed off since Sookie was standing there.

"No." He shook his head and grinned.

Sookie gasped and looked away from them both. Tara punched Sam in the arm realizing he must have been thinking about have her underwear in his pocket.

"Sorry." Sam shrugged attempting not to laugh at his girlfriend.

"Did you even get any paperwork done?" Tara accused.

"No." Sookie answered trying to hold back her laughter while still avoiding making eye contact.

"That's my business." Sam leaned against the door jam.

"And those are mine." Tara tried to reach for his left pocket, but Sam stopped her.

"No, they're mine. You gave them to me."

"You stole them."

"Not how I remember it."

Jessica strolled in the back door looking flustered. "Glad I caught you. I check your place out before I came. It was all clear."

"Then why do you seem so upset?" Sam asked stepping out into the hallway.

"Because this fuckin blue van almost ran me off the road on the way here."

"Are you ok?" Sookie inquired.

"Well…yes." Jessica answered slowing realizing that she basically had to just get over it. She rolled her eyes and walked into the office to put her bag away.

"We should probably get going." Sookie told Tara.

Tara nodded and looked at Sam again. "Sam?" She pleaded with her eyes.

"Sorry Cher." He shook his head.

"Fuck." Tara spat and turned to storm out to Sookie's car.

"Sam Merlotte I should slap you." Sookie informed his before the back door closed behind Tara. "But it's too damn funny." She laughed and followed after her friend.

Jessica walked back through the door clearly not understanding what just took place. "What does 'Cher' mean?" She asked.

"Beloved." Sam answered.

"Oh. You're so sweet." The young vampire gushed.

"Not that sweet." Sam shook his head. "You're tending bar tonight."

"Damn it all." Jessica stomped off to the bar.

Tara walked down the stairs feeling much better after having a pair of panties on. Tara told herself that one day she'd find this as humorous as everyone else had.

"Feel better?" Sookie asked restraining a grin.

"I hate that you're a mind reader today."

"Just today."

Tara rolled her eyes and looked around the place. It was starting to resemble its self. Tara told herself that she'd have to come over to help Sookie continue to clean it…when Jason wasn't here.

_Speaking of…_

"Where is Jason?"

"Beats me. I guess he's just running late…as usual."

"I'm goin' to grab a beer. You want one?" Tara rounded the corner for the kitchen.

"No thanks." Sookie called after her.

Tara opened the fridge to discover that Jason had cleaned his sister out of all beer earlier that day during his pity fest.

"Damn it Jason. Sookie, we'll have to go to the store later." Tara yelled to the living room before closing the door.

"Sookie?" Tara waited for a response from her friend, but was met with silence. She got that weird feeling in the back of her neck again and walked back through the dining room to see where Sookie had gone to.

When she entered the living room her heart jump up into her throat. The two Werewolves were there and one of them was holding a syringe to Sookie's neck and had his hand over her mouth, the other was perched on the end of the couch making himself quite comfortable.

"Let her go." Tara demanded of them.

The men ignored her and the one that was sitting on the edge of the couch stood up.

"Tara. We haven't been properly introduced." He had ginger colored hair and wore nicer clothes than she would have expected of a Were. "My name is Max. Pleasure to meet you." He had a British accent

"The pleasure's all yours. What the fuck do you want with us?"

"Just you." He corrected. "But we have instructions not to harm Sookie."

"Instructions from who?"

Max shook his head. "We should depart before Alcide arrives."

"I'm not going anywhere." Tara threatened pushing Max backwards.

To his surprise he stumbled for a moment before regaining his balance.

"Vampire blood." He reasoned aloud. "I'd hoped to avoid this. Greg."

The dark haired vampire who must have been named Greg injected the syringe into Sookie's neck. Sookie tried to fight, but within moments was limp in Greg's arms before Tara could reach her.

"Perhaps you'll come now, since we are taking her with us."

"If you do anything to her, I'll kill you." Tara seethed.

Max sighed and nodded to Greg who pulled another syringe from his leather jacket and removed the cap.

"Stay the fuck away from me you crazy ass Were." Tara pressed herself against the wall.

Suddenly she felt a prick and looked over to see Max had injected her with whatever they gave to Sookie moments earlier. Greg had only been a well planned diversion.

"It's alright Tara. I would never hurt you. You have been chosen."

Tara's world spun and turned to black once again.


	12. Chapter 12

True Blood, The Sookie Stackhouse Novels and all if its characters belong to Alan Ball and Charlene Harris. All Original characters belong to me (HoneyLove27). No copyright infringement intended. For entertainment purposes only.

Tara stared out over the river that stretched as far as the eye could see in both directions. The rushing water created the most peaceful tranquil sound that had ever graced her ears. She closed her eyes and let the sound of the pure water fill her from her toes to the top of her head and smiled. When she opened her eyes again Franklin was standing in front of her smiling in all white to match her. This time she was not afraid. Tara knew she was dreaming.

"Where are we?"

"Where?" Franklin shrugged as he sided up to Tara. "When? It's more of a thought or a memory then an actual place."

"But if it were a place?"

"It would be a plantation outside of Charleston. Vermont Rose. The family was from Vermont."

Tara craned her neck glance back at the house. It was stately; three floors with a front porch that stretched and wrapped around the house.

"Beautiful." She whispered.

"Gilded." Franklin corrected. "No one who resided here ever knew happiness. Especially the slaves."

Franklin took Tara's hand and led her to the side of the residence so she could peer around. "The side that faces the river is the front. Back there are the slave courters, and to the side are the rice fields."

Tara's eyes passed over the land. It was far too beautiful to have been built off the backs of slaves. It surprised her how angry it made her. It was one thing to be aware that slavery had existed, but to stand on the grounds where it thrived…

She turned her head away from the house and the fields to an enormous tree down by the river. A shadow moved underneath the tree.

"Franklin?" Tara pointed towards the tree and the shadow but he kept his eyes on his angel.

"That is the only person who ever hurt me more that you did."

Tara opened her mouth to protest. She hadn't injured Franklin; it was most certainly the other way around. But the sun blazed so bright that everything morphed and became fuzzy.

"Tara!"

"Wait." Tara whispered unable to shout.

"Tara!" Sookie yelled again nudging Tara with her shoulder.

Tara's eyes remained unfocused, but it was clear that she was no longer standing with Franklin in front of an old plantation, nor was she dreaming. Shaking her head she forced herself to wake up and take in her surroundings.

Sookie was sitting next to her in a wooden chair that matched the one she was tied to. They were both tied and completely helpless. All that transpired at Sookie's house came crashing back into Tara's reality and a cold fear crept into her heart.

Max's loafers clicked on the concrete floor of the warehouse. It was filled with crates and boxes, but only the emergency lights were on making it difficult to see what was in the dark. Tara couldn't even make out a door.

"I see you're awake. Unfortunately this one woke up in the van and gave us some trouble." He gestured to Sookie.

"I'd do it again you retched piece of slime. You'll **never** get away with this." She threatened.

"Enough theatrics. I have gotten away with it. And I don't know why you fret so. No one harmed you. I do believe your ponytail is still intact." Max mocked as he reached out to flip Sookie's ponytail.

"Don't you fucking touch her." Tara warned.

"Language Tara." Stephanie sang from the shadows as her heels clicked towards the trio. "Max why don't you go and join Greg. I've wired the money to your account as promised."

Max smiled and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Let me know if they give you any trouble." He wandered off into the darkness.

"Oh she's all bark." Stephanie smiled. "Hi Tara. I really like your outfit. I can't wait to take you shopping. You're skin just sings when you wear warm colors."

"Who the fuck are you?" Sookie interrupted her which caused Stephanie to wince.

"I was not addressing you. I am conversing with Tara. You're only here so you couldn't run off and tell anyone that we collected Tara. Ok sweetheart."

"Sweetheart?" Sookie couldn't believe her ears. Clearly this girl was delusional.

"What do you want with me Stephanie?"

"Oh Tara." Stephanie clasped her hand over her heart. "I'm just so glad you're finally here. I've missed you." She shrugged.

"What the fuck is up with you talkin' to me like we're fuckin…sorority sisters or some shit. I barely know you." Tara stirred in the chair trying to loosen the knots.

"Yet. You barely know me yet." Stephanie patiently corrected. "And that's pointless. Greg was deployed three times. Tying a knot is the most basic of his exemplary skills."

Sookie sighed and exchanged a look with her best friend. "When are you going to get around to telling us what Tara has been 'chosen' for…or to do…or what the fuck ever."

"Is this where you get that mouth Tara? I think she is a bad influence and I don't want you to see her anymore."

"Get a fucking grip and tell me why we're here." Tara shouted completely out of patients. She didn't care if Stephanie was holding all the cards or not.

"Steph." A vaguely familiar voice called from the distance. The Were's face lit up as she turned to face the voice.

"We're over here baby."

"Baby." Sookie mocked while Tara's eyes stayed peeled on the darkness awaiting the emergence of Stephanie's 'baby'.

Tommy stepped out of the shadows wearing triple black and a pair of cowboy boots. He was clean shaven and clean cut. He didn't look like himself at all, he certain didn't look like was related to Sam Merlotte.

"Tommy?" Tara and Sookie questioned in unison.

"Long time no see." She smiled before kissing Stephanie.

"I missed you." She swooned.

"I missed you more." He winked and wrapped one arm around her waist.

"This is your baby?" Sookie asked.

"I thought you hated Shifters." Tara reminded Stephanie. "But you're head over heels for one?"

"I only hate people betray their loved ones. Sam Merlotte is no better than those blood-traitors that we kicked out of the pack." Stephanie steamed.

"Tommy what the fuck are you doing here with these Weres? Where have you been?" Tara demanded ignoring Stephanie.

"You mean since your new boyfriend shot me in the back and left me for dead, in the woods, with a lousy two hundred dollars?"

Tara struggled to hold her face neutral. Clearly Tommy wanted a reaction from her, but she wouldn't betray Sam that way. He could be lying for all she knew.

"Sam would never shoot you in the back." Sookie defended adamantly.

"If he did you probably deserved it. It was two hundred dollars too much." Tara hurled insults.

"He did not. Tommy was half dead when I found him in the woods. What kind of man would do that to his own brother? Sam Merlotte deserved everything that's coming to him."

"You harm one fucking hair on that man's head and I will kill you." Tara seethed.

Tommy chuckled. "Tara you couldn't harm a fly."

"Not true." Sookie piped up. "Tara's killed before…when she was provoked. And you wouldn't be the first Werewolf I shot so I'd stay away from us if I were you. Not to mention all the people who have to have noticed we were missing by now. You've fucked with the wrong people."

"No." Tommy leaned over into Sookie's face to shut her up then he rotated so he was staring Tara straight in the eyes. "Tara is the right person. And to think she just fell in our laps when she took that silly little job at Belk."

"It's so beneath you Tara." Stephanie shrugged.

"And on top of it all I get to take the one person my brother ever loved away from him. Fucking priceless." Tommy grinned and kissed Tara on the cheek.

Standing up straight Tommy turned around in the warehouse and placed his hands behind his head interlacing his fingers. "You Tara will help us create a pack of Weres in Shreveport. A better, stronger, smarter pack of Weres that will rule this area. We will be the best and the brightest, and most powerful supernatural force.

"I hate to throw a monkey wrench into your plans, but I'm not supernatural, and you're not a were."

"We know that Tara." Stephanie rolled her eyes. "But Tommy is a true shifter. His power can be harnessed instead of wasted. And Tara…anyone that can summon a Maenad must have awesome power."

Tara shook her head refusing to accept Stephanie's words. "You can't keep me locked up forever. The second your back is turned we'll escape."

Tommy crossed his arms and shrugged. "That's why we gave you vampire blood. You escape…we track you down. You can run, but you literally cannot hide."

A shadow appeared at the edge of the light pool. It was odd since everyone else's footsteps had been heard on the concrete as they approached. Tara instantly felt that she knew that shadow when she emerged.

The woman was only a little taller that Tara. She had medium brown skin, wide eyes, full lips, and curly hair that ended just past her shoulders. She was beautiful and bore a strong resemblance to Tara herself.

"Oh my Gosh." Sookie whispered taking in the sight of her.

The woman took one more step into the light and it as clear to see that she was a vampire, and she did not look friendly.

"Jack. We weren't expecting you." Tommy turned toward the vampire.

"I know, but I couldn't resist. I had to see her."

"It was your blood." Tara spoke, but did ask so much as informed.

Jack simply nodded.

"A 'Jack' of all trades." She breathed.

"He told you?" Jack leaned her head to the side and took one more step towards Tara.

"No." She shook her head.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Sookie asked.

Jack held eye contact with Tara while she answered. "My name is Jacqueline Rose. Franklin was my maker."

"We're screwed." Sookie laughed nervously.

"I want to know who killed Franklin Mott."

Tara's mind raced back to the moment she was certain her life was over. The instant that Franklin had her behind Merlotte's, threatening to kill her, just before Jason showed up. The terror rose in Tara's stomach again as she looked into Franklin's eyes wondering why we didn't just bite her and get it over with.

"I …I killed him." Tara stammered.

Jack hissed and hovered over Tara's head with her fangs popped out.

"Jack!" Stephanie yelled. "You promised."

Jack slowly retreated from a terrified Tara. He face changed from anger to pain.

"How could you?"

"How could I not." Tara spat.

"He terrorized me, kidnapped me, tried to kill me, and raped me."

"No!" Jack put her hands over her ears shaking her head. "He would never. He would never. I know him. Franklin would never."

"But he did." Sookie added

Suddenly Jack was standing over Sookie with her hair hanging over her shoulders almost in Sookie's eyes. "You think you knew Franklin Mott? You think that Franklin was evil? Then you've never met evil." Jack turned her head to look at Tara. "You think you were raped? I wish I had your troubles."

Jack stood back up and walked a few feet away from Tara and Sookie lost in her own memories.

"Franklin was the gentlest, kind, most loving man I'd ever known…"

Jack picked up the white skirt and draped it over one arm so she could run faster. She knew that if she could just make it past the tree to the river she'd be safe. Once she was in the water the dogs wouldn't be able to track her. She could lose them and be free.

She knew she's just head up the river to the safe house she'd heard of. Once she was there they would help her get to the Underground Railroad.

Jack looked back over her shoulder at the Vermont Rose. There wasn't anything back there for her, at least not anything good. Only the master and the overseer. Her Mother had died, she never knew her father, and her brother and sister had been sold off. Now she was only good for one thing and she'd be damned if they were going to have that again.

With tears in her eyes to ran farther and faster begging the tree and the river to meet her half way. The sound of a slamming door caught her attention and she turned back.

"There she is." Yelled one of two men.

The man reached down to pet two dogs before removing their leases.

"Go get her."

Fear penetrated Jack. The last slave that tried to escape lost her foot to that dog and was hung. She ran for her life. It wasn't as if she could return to them and beg for forgiveness. She ran harder and faster than she ever thought possible, but could hear the dogs gaining on her.

Finally she reached the tree. Just a few more few and she stood a fighting chance. Prematurely Jack released her skirt and tripped on the torn hem landing face first next to the tree. She began to wail knowing that the dogs would be on her in seconds…maybe less.

The dog wined and hit the tree hard sliding down dead. The second down stopped in its tracks unsure of what to do.

Jack was at a loss when she looked up into the eyes of a curly haired man wearing all white.

"Are you alright?" He asked with a weird accent she'd never heard and extended his hand to her.

She nodded she stood up without taking the offered hand. Jack had learned long ago never to trust a white man, especially when you were alone with him.

The two men reached the tree. The taller red faced one with blonde hair held a whip in his hand.

"Stand aside." He told Franklin.

"I beg your pardon?" Franklin asked as he moved in front of Jack protectively.

"That there is my property and she must be dealt with."

"What the hell happened to the dog?" The younger one asked.

"That?" Franklin questioned. "Property?" He looked back at Jack who was shaking and then returned he glare to the men. "I don't think **she** wants to go with you."

"I don't give a flying fuck what the bitch wants."

Franklin grabbed the man and shoved him up against the tree fangs extended. "You don't speak to a lady that way. Now apologize."

The blonde man struggled to get out of Franklin's grasp in vain. "What the fuck are you?"

Franklin looked back at Jack. "A gentleman. This is your last chance to apologize to…I didn't catch your name."

"Jack…Jacqueline." She swallowed.

"That's a beautiful name. Apologized to Jacqueline." Franklin demanded.

"Fuck off." The man spat in Franklin's face.

Franklin angrily bit into the man's neck causing him to howl in pain. The vampire drank from him until he went limp.

"Holy shit." The younger man trembled and wet his pants.

Franklin sneered and him with blood dripping down his chin. "Run." He instructed.

The young man wasted no time in heading back to the house, the surviving dog in tow.

Franklin ripped the blonde man's shirt off his body and used it to wipe the blood off his face.

"That was Tom. Terrible Tom. The overseer." Jack leaned against the tree numb from the evening's activities.

"He'll never hurt you again. I'd never let anyone hurt you Jacqueline."

"Just Jack." She shrugged. "The master's the only one who ever called me Jacqueline."

"What's you're last name?"

"Don't have one. Don't need one. Don't know what it should be."

"What's this place called."

"Vermont Rose. Rose family from Vermont."

"Creative." Franklin scoffed.

Jack laughed and wiped a tear from her face. "What are you?"

"Walking dead." Franklin leaned against the tree in front of Jack.

"Me too." Jack sighed.

"You are so beautiful." He pulled a leaf out of her curly hair.

"I know." She groaned. "It's the worst thing to be when you're a slave."

"I hate what they've taken from you." Franklin pushed off the tree to stare out over the river. "I'll kill them for it."

Jack looked down at Tom's limp body and imagined the Master and all the crackers' pale and limp just the same. The thought gave her the smallest joy she'd ever known.

"The wife and children are out of town. She hates it here. Hate's him. They say she won't lay with him. That's why he has to get it elsewhere."

Franklin appeared right behind Jack causing her breath to catch in her throat.

"What are you saying?"

"That if you killed them. Then everyone could be free. They go on the Underground Railroad before the neighboring plantations could get here."

Franklin reached down and took Jack's hand. She started to pull away, but changed her mind.

"I'll do it under one condition."

"Anything." Jack breathed.

"You join me."

"How? I can't…" He gestured to Tom indicating what Franklin had done to him.

Franklin tenderly tucked her hair behind her ear to expose her neck. "You could. It won't hurt."

"Promise." Another tear leaked down her face.

Frankin wiped the tear away and nodded. "I love you Jacqueline Rose. I will never hurt you."

Franklin tilted Jack's head up and pressed his lips to her pouty ones. I caused both of them to tremble ever so slightly.

"I've never been kissed before." Jack sobbed.

"That is the first of an endless lifetime of kisses my love." Franklin kissed her again and trailed kisses along her jaw to her neck where he carefully bit into her.

Jack gasped and held onto Franklin as he drank from her. He was right, it didn't hurt at all. Jack closed her eyes and surrendered.

"A few nights later we killed all the white people, saving the master for last. Then we freed the slaves."

Jack continued to stare into blank space.

"Tara. If you tell me who really killed Franklin. I promised I won't help them anymore. I want you to think about it. I'll be in touch."

"I beg your pardon?" Stephanie screamed and Tommy stood in front of her uncertain if the vampire was turning on them or not.

Jack looked at Tommy and Stephanie then over to Tara and Sookie. "Think about it. Time's running short."

Suddenly there was crash and the sound of a gate opening. At the same time Jack mysteriously disappeared.

"Great. This is just perfect." Stephanie complained. "Let's use a vampire so she can't give us the slip."

"Hey. You were on board. How I was supposed to know she was …whoever's progeny." Tommy defended himself.

Both of them looked into the darkness unable to see the source of the crash.

"Max…Greg…" Stephanie called as a wolf crept into the pool of light. "Crap." She sighed. "I really liked this dress."

Stephanie shifted into a wolf as well.


	13. Chapter 13

Jason tapped the steering wheel to his truck nervously as he rounded the corner onto Sookie's driveway. He'd wanted to get a good workout in to clear his head and had ended up falling asleep after it. Now he was crazy late for the meeting and not anxious to see their faces. He could already feel Sookie's icy stare and Tara disappointment creeping down his spine. Shaking it off Jason pulled up to the house.

"What the fuck?"

He got out and looked the residence over. Nope. There was no denying it. It was empty and sealed up tighter than a drum.

"Well hell…am I that late?"

There weren't any lights on, but Jason didn't need then to find the right key. He opened the door and called out for his sister and Tara. There was no answer of course. Jason flipped on the light switch in the foyer and glanced into the dining room. Empty. Next he went into the living room. Also empty.

"OK think Stackhouse, think." Jason paced and rubbed his temples as a light bulb popped on.

He pulled out his phone and dialed Tara's number. Sookie's car was outside so maybe they'd gone somewhere in Tara's or maybe Alcide had come and they all had taken off to parts unknown.

Before Jason could press send he heard Tara's ring tone upstairs. He raced up the steps two at a time to make sure it didn't go to voicemail before he could pick up. The front screen read Merlotte's. Jason sighed and opened the pink razor.

"Hello?"

"Jason? Where are you?" Sam asked wondering why he was answering Tara's phone.

"In Tara's bedroom."

"Can I talk to Tara?" Sam rolled his eyes not eager to hear his girlfriend's explanation.

"Um…not right now."

"Jason, I need to talk to my girlfriend." Sam emphasized the word girlfriend as he was losing patience.

"Well you can't." Jason blurted out, not in the mood for Sam's attitude. He considered telling Sam that Tara might be missing, but didn't want to alarm him since he didn't know that they were for sure. Besides, he enjoyed having the upper hand. Not like he lied or anything. "Tara…can't come to the phone right now, OK."

Sam's blood boiled. Who the hell was Jason to decide that Tara couldn't answer her own phone? And why not! "Jason Stackhouse…" Sam began.

"Look, I gotta go. Tara needs me." Jason closed the phone ended the call and smiled.

"She didn't invite you to come anyway." He mumbled to himself and stuffed Tara's phone into his jeans pocket.

Then he retrieved his own phone from his other pocket and called Sookie. Sookie's phone rang downstairs. Jason went to fetch it knowing that something bad had transpired. If they both didn't have their phone they must not have left of their own free will. Collecting all the phones Jason headed back to his car locking the door behind himself.

Tommy removed his black vest and then ripped the snaps on his shirt open. Tara wondered if all shifters did that, if it made it easier to change and not ruin shirts. The second Tommy unbuttoned his pants he was out of them in the form of a dog.

Sookie groaned and Tara silent agreed that the dog was not as menacing as the two Weres that were circling each other. Stephanie looked at Tommy and growled. With great effort Tommy also turned into a wolf. This enraged the other wolf. Tara thought she remembered Sam saying that Werewolves were sort of the bullies of the supernatural world and that they did not like to be imitated. It was rather disrespectful.

The dogs kept snapping at one another. Then, as if to prove some point, Tommy leapt onto the back of the wolf. Stephanie joined in and soon all three were rolling around on the floor and blood was being drawn. Sookie gasped and looked over at Tara.

"Tara. Don't be alarm."

"What?"

Tara could see that Sookie was trying to convey something with her eyes but she had no idea what. Suddenly Tara felt a warm nose on her hands. It felt like the nose of a dog. She tried to turn to see what it was, but Sookie furiously shook her head no, so Tara turned back toward the fight as her ropes were chewed away.

Out of the corner of her eye Tara could see another wolf was working on the knots on Sookie's hands. When Sookie was free she sat there for a moment before nodding in agreement.

"Follow me." He whispered to Tara and calmly walked out of the pool of light leaving the wolves behind. Tara followed Sookie silently through the ware house. Once they hit the outside door Sookie told her to run.

They both ran with Sookie leading the way until they encountered a pickup truck. Sookie opened the door and slid into the middle, Tara climbed in and shut the door with her heart pounding.

"What do we do know?" Tara trembled thankful to be free.

"We wait for Alcide." Sookie leaned back against the seat of the truck.

"Damn it!" Sam slammed the bar phone down causing Jessica to jump and Hoyt to look up.

"You OK boss?" Jessica asked.

"No, I'm not." Sam grabbed his keys. "I'm going to clear my head. Call my cell if you need anything." Sam headed out the front door."

"Sure thing." Jessica called after him before turning back to Hoyt."

"What was that about?" He asked.

"Apparently Jason was in Tara's bedroom and answered her phone." Jessica beamed and had to remind herself not to take too much pleasure in Sam misfortunes.

"Well that could be innocent. I mean Jason's kind of a player but…I don't think he'd..."

Jessica reached across the bar and grabbed Hoyt's hand as she leaned into him. "Hoyt, as a vampire you hear a lot…I mean a lot…there's stuff I haven't told you, but I think Jason's trying to steal Tara from Sam."

"Wow." Hoyt leaned back as he let that info sinks in. "But Jason could have any girl." Hoyt shook his head. Jessica shrugged.

"So that was you? The wolf that chewed the ropes?"

"Yes. That was me." Alcide nodded closing the door to his Shreveport apartment.

Tara nervously sat on the couch and Sookie stood next to the small folding table that served as the dining room. Alcide closed the blinds and drew all the curtains.

"We weren't followed, but you can never be too careful." He reasoned looking at Tara. Clearly she was shaken. "I wish you'd called me sooner."

"I'll remember that next time a pack of Werewolves becomes obsessed with me." Tara spat at Alcide out of habit. "Sorry." She muttered and studied her boots.

"We're all a little stressed." He waved it off.

"So what happened back there?" Sookie asked sitting on the arm of the sofa near Tara.

"Greg happened."

"Greg." Tara's head shot up. Greg was the big one that shot Sookie up with who knows what.

"Yes. He was on boared with them in the beginning, but now…let's say he's having second thoughts. I called him today not knowing he was even in this new pack that's forming. He called me back at the warehouse and said that they had you two and he was done with them. Greg distracted Stephanie and Tommy so I could free you two without them knowing I was there."

"What about the other one? Max?" Tara hoped Greg had killed him. She really disliked that Max character.

"I'm not sure. All I know is when Greg gave me the go ahead I moved in and freed you."

"So now what?" Sookie asked.

"Now." Alcide began and walked over to the coffee table opposite Tara and sad down. "Now I take you two back to Bon Temps and keep Tara safe." He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder which surprisingly calmed her significantly. "Nice boots." He smiled trying to take her mind off the evening's events.

"Um Alcide." Sookie hated to interrupt him trying to make her best friend feel better, which made her feel better. "Do you mind if I freshen up a bit?"

"No," He shook his head. "Go right ahead." He pointed to the door where the restroom was and Sookie flounced off.

Like a whirlwind Jason entered the bar and plopped on the bar stool next to Hoyt and laid all three phones out in front of him. Hoyt and his girlfriend both stared in silence for a moment analyzing his actions.

"Did you pass Sam on your way in?" Hoyt attempted to break the silence.

"Naw." Jason shook his head studying the phones.

"What are you doing?" Jessica put her hands on her hips.

"One of these phones is going to ring. I left a message for Tara on her phone and Sookie on her phone so when they get it they know to call me. It's brilliant." Jason smiled.

Hoyt chuckled and glanced at his girlfriend. "Um…Jason…"

"Now I know what you're thinkin'." He interrupted his friend. "But since they left their phones they might call them to check for messages, you can do that. Or they might just call my phone directly. In any case I'm covered." Jason rearranged the phones so that his was in the middle.

"Hey this is like that game when you put everyone's keys in the middle and try to figure out who's is who's." Jessica reminisced.

"We used to play that in church youth group." Hoyt confessed.

"You two belong together." Jason announced without taking his eyes off the phones. "This is going to work. You see instead of acting first…I'm thinking. I thought. Why run around looking for them…when I can let them come to me."

"I think it's a good plan." Hoyt patted Jason on the back then signaled for Jessica to refill his beer. "You want one?"

"No thanks. I am in the zone."

A phone rang and Jason jumped.

Alcide sighed and reached for Tara's wrists. He held them in his hands and gently massaged both sides of each wrist with his thumb and forefinger.

"What are you doing?" Tara's brows drew in.

"Close your eyes." Alcide instructed and continued to massage her wrists.

Tara closed her eyes and her head began to fill lite. After a while she didn't feel anything except serenity.

"Wow." She breathed. "What is this?"

"Pressure points. I'm helping you to relax. Looks like you need it."

"Thanks. You look great too." She remarked dryly which caused him to chuckle.

Alcide placed her hands down on her lap and moved closer so that her knees were between his legs.

"How are you?"

"Aside from being kidnapped?"

"You look…thin."

Tara was about to say something sarcastic when she noticed the expression of true concern on his face.

"Have you been eating?"

"Sometimes I forget, then Sam or Sookie reminds me."

"There's something else too…something's different." Alcide tried to put his finger on how best to describe it.

"It you're about to say I'm glowing I may smack you." Tara sighed.

"OK." Alcide took a deep breath and observed the woman sitting not two feet from him.

"You're trying to think of another word for glowing ain't you?" She shook her head and he laughed knowing he'd been caught. "It's the vampire blood." Tara shrugged it off.

Alcide glanced at her sideways. "I didn't know you did V."

"I don't!" She barked. "Those assholes drugged me and feed to too me while I was out. I'm got a damn Vampire homing beacon running through my veins and everybody telling me I'm glowing."

Alcide silently fumed. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have stayed out of it. Stephanie asked me to join them and be her mate a while back. I told her to shove it. I feel like this is my fault."

"This is not your fault." She protested. "I've worked a million different scenarios in my head as to how I could have avoided this and none of them work out. The way I see it, it doesn't matter whether or not I moved to Shreveport, if I was or wasn't dating Sam, If Sookie…whatever, if you… All roads lead to me being in this predicament."

Alcide placed his warm hands on top of Tara's which were resting on her knees. "Tara, I don't want you to worry. I'm going to take care of you. I'll fix all this…I promise. And I'll get you home to Sam."

He saw a fleeting moment of pain and panic flutter across her face when he mentioned her boyfriend's name.

"What's wrong? Sam's a good guy right?"

Tara nodded wordlessly. "Too good. I don't deserve him."

"Yes you do." Alcide leaned forward insistently.

"I keep wondering if he loves me, or if he's just protecting me? What happens when all this is over?"

"You have to have faith."

"In Sam."

"In yourself. Who could leave you?"

Tara began to tremble as tears welled in her eyes. "Everyone." She sighed and leaned over crying.

Alcide stood up and sat next to Tara on the couch wrapping as arm around her shoulder.

"I'm fine." She protested lightly pushing against him.

"No, you're not." He pulled her into his chest and wrapped both arms around her as she let all of her fears pour out unabashed. Alcide rested his chin on her head. Silently he vowed to get even with the people that caused this much hurt and harm.

Sookie walked in and wordlessly asked if she could borrow Alcide's phone before slipping back out to the bathroom to make a call.

Sookie closed the bathroom door and dialed the familiar number.

"Merlotte's Bar and Grill." Jessica answered staring at Jason. "Someone's on edge."

"Jessica?" Sookie asked.

"Sookie? Where are you?"

Jason hopped out of his seat and walked around to the back of the bar to take the phone from the red head.

"Sookie."

"Jason? What are you doing on Merlotte's phone? Is Sam there?"

"Is Sam there?" Jason couldn't believe his ears. "You two were supposed to meet me at the house. Didn't you get any of my messages?"

"I'm sorry. I guess before I was knocked unconscious I should have reminded the kidnappers that I'd needed my phone."

"You were kidnapped? Fuck." Jason's blood ran cold.

"Yes. Tara too. Look we're fine now and Alcide is bringing us back to Bon Temps in a little while."

"OK. So I'll just meet you at the house then. Wait, they know your house. Come to my house instead."

"What the hell are you doing on my phone?" Sam fumed.

Jason turned to see the bar owned turn red with anger. Maybe he should have been clearer about why Tara couldn't come to the phone earlier.

"Jason, is that Sam?"

"Yeah."

"Put him on."

"No. Come straight to my house." Jason hung up the phone.

"Who was that?" Sam demanded.

"That was Sookie." Jason walked out from behind the bar closer to Sam.

"So I guess they're not missing anymore." Hoyt stood up trying to place himself between the two smaller men."

"Missing?" Sam asked and accused Jason with his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me that before?"

"I wasn't sure before. Didn't want you to overreact. Alcide's bringing them here."

Sam slowly meandered over to Jason so that they were toe to toe.

"You think you can handle this don't you?"

"I know I can."

"Think you can protect Tara?"

"I've done it before, when you weren't around."

"Come with me." Sam dared him and turned around heading for the door.

"Where we going?" Jason hesitated.

"Fangtasia." Sam turned at the front door to the bar.

"That is a terrible idea. Eric will eat Jason for breakfast…or dinner…or whatever." Jessica protested.

"You can come too if you want." Sam suggested.

"Really?" Jessica beamed and threw her apron at Hoyt as she passed Jason.

"You coming?" Sam raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah." Jason nodded slowly walking to the door.

"Hoyt. Call them back and tell them to stay put for a while before heading over here."

"How?"

"Star sixty-nine." Jessica yelled as all three of them left for Sam's truck.

Arlene dropped her jaw and glared at the door. "Am I the only one who works here?"

Hoyt held up Jessica's apron. "Apparently I do."

Arlene scoffed and turned to put in an order.

Alcide handed Tara a cup of black coffee which she accepted gratefully. Sookie sat on the table across from Alcide who had his arm around Tara's shoulders.

"So…any idea why these Weres are so in love with Tara?" Sookie inquired.

"Yeah. At least I think I have an idea."

"Well please share with the class." Tara begged.

"I'm not supposed to tell outsiders, but… Hell." Alcide stood and took a deep breath running his fingers through his hair. "Every pack has a pack master. Similar to how there's a Vampire hierarchy. Well this new pack doesn't have one yet. They plan to choose one before the next full moon. In fact they asked me to…run…if you will."

"How do you…run?" Sookie asked.

"It's a fight to the death."

Tara and Sookie's eyes shot out of their heads.

"I can see why you didn't want to run." Tara reasoned.

"I'm not afraid of death. I simply do not want to lead this pack. Or any pack for that matter."

"But what does a pack-master-battle-to-the-death have to do with me?"

"After the winner is victorious…a young woman, usually a Were, will offer herself to the new pack master." Alcide hoped he would not have to say more, but the look on both women's faces indicated that he would need to clarify.

"Sexually. We hope the union will result in the birth of a Were child."

"Eww." Sookie squirmed.

"So they are planning to rape me?" Tara steamed.

"It's considered an honor and I don't think that's the end of it. I believe they may intend to present you to the new pack master…as a bride."

Tara nearly dropped her cup of coffee all over Alcide's carpet. Luckily Sookie caught the cup and sat it on the table next to her.

Everything that Stephanie had said to her came crashing back. Words like 'chosen' and 'protected' even 'shopping' and taking her away from Sam. They were planning to plant her as the wife of the new pack master to expand the gene pool. Tara's eyes rolled and her stomach began to cramp.

"I think I'm going to be sick." She pushed herself off the couch and ran for the bathroom Sookie in tow as Alcide's phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi. This is Hoyt. From Merlotte's…sort of. Sam says to stay put for a bit. They're going to Fangtasia."

Alcide looked at the bathroom as he heard Tara emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet. "I don't think that's going to be a problem." He sighed.


	14. Chapter 14

Pam pushed the door to Eric's office open and stood in it for a moment to take in the scene. She smirked when she noticed the eclectic group that was waiting on her maker. Her heels clicked on the linoleum as she crossed to lean against Eric's desk adjusting her black bustier as she went.

"My my…what a motley crew." She greeted them with a half smile. "Eric is finishing up some…business. He should be here shortly."

"Well we appreciate your time." The shifter folded his arms silently willing the older vampire to walk through the door.

"Pam turned toward the baby vampire. "Jessica. Long time no see. I hear you've been keeping yourself busy while Bill's been away.

"How did you hear that?"

"We make it our business to know the activities of all the vampires in Area 5." Pam informed her as her eyes drifted to Jason who was presently occupying a corner.

"Oh." Jessica breathed as she smoothed out her skirt.

Sam spied Jason pacing out of the corner of his eye and crossed to him lowering his voice. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." Jason shrugged defensively.

"Then cool it." Sam warned before placing some distance between them.

A bead of sweat trickled down Jason's temple and he quickly wiped it away silently cursing himself. Vampires were nothing if not perceptive, and Jason was terrible at protecting secrets…like the fact that he killed Franklin. The asshole might have deserved, but Eric and Pam might view certain events…differently.

Jason closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath. When he reopened them Pam was mere inches from his face. She methodically raised her hand and ran her fingers through Jason's blond curly tresses.

"Jason Stackhouse. Sookie's brother. I remember you. It's been a long time."

"It has, hasn't it?" Jason swallowed the knot that recently formed in his throat.

"How is your sister?" She purred continuing to pet Jason's head.

"That's actually why we've come." Sam piped in an attempt to remove the focus from Jason who was clearly cracking under it.

"If you have anything to ask, you are to ask it of me." Eric entered the room and leaned against his desk.

Jessica quickly vacated the spot and scrambled to stand next to her boss.

"Eric." The red-head addressed him respectfully.

Eric nodded slightly as the baby vampire, as his eyes shot over to Jason and Pam in the corner, before settling on the shifter in the middle of the room who was clearly in great distress.

"What is it you believe I can do for you?"

Sam inhaled, took a deep breath, and began. "I have a favor to ask."

"Eric does not do favors for humans." Pam smiled and rested her hand on Jason's shoulder.

"I do not do favors…at all."

"But it's real important." Jessica blurted out the silently apologized to Sam.

Eric glanced back and forth between the two for a moment before carefully decided to speak once more. "Is this about Sookie?"

"Yes." Sam nodded not exactly lying. "And Tara." He added.

"What could I possibly do for this woman…Sookie's friend?"

"She needs protection."

"How would offering her protection profit me?" Eric leered at the shifter.

Sam sighed and reminded himself why he did not care for Eric Northman. "Well it might clear your conscious for one."

"Uh…Sam." Jessica timidly warned.

"Weren't you there over in Jackson when Franklin was holding her captive?" Sam dared to remind the Vampire Sheriff.

Eric flew off the desk to stand towering over the smaller shifter. "And what if I was? I do not answer to humans."

Pam felt Jason grow tense at the mention of Franklin's name and grinned. "Don't fret lover, it's just a friendly chat."

Jason tried to smile at Pam, but it came out like a sneer. "Yeah Sam. Bill was there and he didn't do nothing. And he actually knows Tara." Jason defended the vampire causing Sam to turn around and shoot him a look of contempt.

"You're going about this the wrong way." Jessica interjected. "Eric," She began softly, "There is a newly formed pack of Weres that are trying to take over Area 5. They are a threat. They're highly organized, incredibly smart, and they kidnapped Sookie and Tara to use in their evil schemes."

"Are if anybody's going to use Sookie for evil…it should be you." Jason added.

Eric ambled around his desk and leaned back in his chair, fingertips touching. "Although I agree that these Weres should be reminded of their place, regretfully Ms. Stackhouse has requested that I remove myself from her presence."

"I don't think Sookie saw this coming when she made this request." Sam pleaded. "We need to fight fire with fire."

Eric sighed. "I shall take our conversation under advisement."

Alcide drove down the highway towards Bon Temps with both women sitting silently in the cab of his truck. He glanced over Sookie to look at Tara who was worse for the wear.

"How you feeling?" He asked.

"Fine." Tara shrugged. "Mostly wondering how it's possible to throw up so much when you haven't eaten anything."

"Well…you received quite a shock." Alcide reasoned as he turned up the heat. The night had turned decidedly cold.

"I'll say." Sookie breathed shaking her head.

"I'll have you two home in no time so you can get a good night's sleep. We'll worry about the rest of this in morning."

Sookie giggled and Tara turned towards her friend with her eyebrows raised.

"Please share. I'm dying for a laugh right now."

"It's nothing really." Sookie smiled. "Just you said we'll worry about it in the morning and it reminded me of Gone with the Wind."

"How does anything that just happened remind you a racist movie where a narcissistic white bitch gets everything she wants?"

"Because whenever Scarlet didn't feel like thinking about something she would simply say. (In her Scarlet O'Hara voice) 'I don't want to think about that…I'll think about that tomorrow.'"

Tara couldn't help chuckling too and Alcide joined in shaking his head.

"Maybe she the right idea." He added.

"Yeah." Tara smiled. "Fuck them. We'll think about this tomorrow."

"After all…tomorrow's another day." Sookie sang and all three laughed at the absurdity of it all.

Even if they hadn't been laughing the trio would not have been prepared for the driver's side door to be ripped open, sucking out all the heat, and Alcide dragged from the car only to be replaced by Jack.

Eric looked sharply at Pam who flew to his side.

"What is it?" She asked in front of Sam, Jason, and Jessica.

"Sookie." He informed her.

"Is she in trouble?" Jason inquired.

"Then Tara must be too." Sam chimed in. "Eric, please, I…don't have a choice. I have to ask. Will you help? Hell I'll owe you one." Sam tossed his pride out the window momentarily.

"Human emotions." Pam rolled her eyes.

"I'll owe you one too." Jessica offered.

"You, Jessica, are a vampire in the area of which I am sheriff. You will always owe me loyalty."

"I know. I mean in addition to that." Jessica appealed to him earnestly.

Eric and Pam exchanged a look and Pam sighed. "You know this always happen when I'm wearing my favorite heels. They'll be ruined."

"Does this mean you're going?" Jason tried to put two and two together.

"Eric turned his head towards Sam. "You will repay this debt."

Then they were gone leaving the three of them to see themselves out of Fangtasia.

Jack careened down the highway doing over a hundred in Alcide's truck. She viewed the review mirror to see that Alcide had shifted into wolf form and was chasing after them. She didn't have the heart to even smile at how funny he looked.

"What do you want from us?" Sookie screamed holding onto the dashboard.

"Not you, Tara." Jack clarified.

"What?" Tara demanded.

"Who killed my Franklin?"

"I already told you I did." Tara fumed.

"Liar." Jack bellowed jerking the wheel to the right. The truck sailed off the road between two trees and into the woods with Alcide trailing behind them.

Sookie screamed.

"Jack." Tara yelled. "Franklin was a psychopath. He kidnapped me and raped me. The fucker terrorized me. That's why I killed him."

"No!" Jack screeched as she dodged trees at high speeds.

"Yes!" Tara argued.

"I know it wasn't you. I would feel it. Franklin was amazing and wonderful. Stop lying!"

The truck caught air for a moment and Tara felt like she might explode, or throw up again, or both.

"Jack this won't solve anything." Sookie tried to reason with the deranged vampire.

"Shut up blondie!"

"Look Jack. Sometime after you and Franklin parted he lost his marbles. Tara would never lie about what he did to her? Can't you see the pain she's in?" Sookie pleaded with Jack hoping she would at least slow the truck down. How deep were these woods?

Jack stared over Sookie at Tara. "Give me peace." She serenely commanded as if she wasn't off-roading in a pickup.

Tara's mind drifted back to Jason shooting Franklin with a wooden bullet. She remembered the vampire exploding all over her, covering up his remains, and disposing of his clothes. Her stomach churned as she recalled not being able to get the smell of him out of her hair afterward.

Sookie gasped seeing every event fresh in Tara's mind right along with her. Her brown eyes almost bugged out of her head when she realized that it was Jason Tara was protecting.

Tara was frozen when she knew the mistake she's made, now Sookie knew. Tara tore her eyes away from both Jack and Sookie to stare out into the dark woods which were beginning to clear. Suddenly Tara realized why they were clearing and screamed pointing at the river ahead of them.

Both Jack and Sookie's heads snapped towards the river at the last moment, just in time to see Pam stop the truck from diving in. The pickup screamed in protest and shifted to the right balancing on two wheels.

Eric tore the driver's door open and yanked Jack out pinning her to a tree. Tara fell against the passenger door which gave way. She slid out of the car and fell into the river. Sookie immediately lost sight of her.

"Tara!" She screamed into the black water as she herself began to slide.

Pam pulled the left side of the car so that it was once again on all four tires preventing Sookie from following Tara into the water.

"I can't even see her." Sookie panicked.

"Damn it." Pam huffed. Before the blonde vampire could dive into the water after her, a wolf sailed between the two into the water.

The four of them waited for a moment. Sookie was the only one the required oxygen, but the all held their breath. Finally Alcide's head broke the barrier of the water. He then swam up to the edge of the water carrying Tara with him.

Sookie and Pam pulled Tara out of the water and Alcide climbed out after her.

"She's not breathing." Pam dryly informed Sookie who sank to her knees beside her best friend.

"Damn it Tara Thornton. Don't you dare die on me." Sookie sobbed

Alcide gently pushed Sookie out of the way and sat next to Tara naked as a jay bird. "Come on Tara stay with me." He felt Tara's neck. "She has a pulse."

"I could have told you that." Pam rolled her eyes once more.

Alcide began to perform rescue breathing on Tara as Sookie cried and Pam observed.

Eric leered at Jack and pushed her deeper into the tree. "For your sake she had better live."

"This was not my intention." Blood spilled from Jack's eyes.

Alcide pressed his lips around Tara's mouth and filled her lungs with his air once more. She coughed this time and turned to expel water.

"All in a day's work." Pam smirked. "Things are certainly never dull when Sookie's around."

Alcide lifted Tara up to sitting. "Sookie, there's a pair of sweatpants in the back of my truck."

"Oh, of course." Sookie fetched the pants. She was so happy Tara was alright that she didn't have time to feel shy about seeing Alcide naked.

Alcide put on the pants as everyone's attention turned to Jack whom Eric still held firmly to the tree.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"She knows who killed my maker."

"And you want vengeance?" Eric surmised.

"No, I want peace. He was taken from me." Jack turned to Pam. "Think of how you would feel."

Sookie looked down at Tara who was soaked through and shivering in Alcide's arms. "She did it out of self defense."

"You have your answer. We can all go home." Eric informed her.

"It is a lie. I would know. He loved her."

"He terrorized her." Eric corrected. "I was there."

Jack shook her head refusing to buy in to what was being said. "He saved me." She cried. "He saw me. He loved me."

Tara stood with Alcide's help.

"Careful. You're bleeding from the head." Pam remarked.

Tara took a few steps toward Jack and Eric. "Yes he did. He loved you very much."

"Tara?" Sookie questioned but Tara waved her off.

"But you have to admit that he changed?" Tara asked Jack who looked down and away. "That's why you left him." Jack shook her head and closed her eyes.

"He tried to replace you and recapture your love…with me…but he couldn't…any it fucking drove him crazy."

"Stop." Jack moaned.

"He wasn't able to grasp that I wasn't you. That I didn't love him…because you did. He thought he saved me the way he saved you. He wanted to be a hero again. Live happily ever after like a fuckin' fairy tale frozen in time."

Blood freely streamed down Jack's face. Tara's heartfelt words sunk into and she knew them to be true. If she had a heart it would have broken to see the man her Franklin had become.

"Please tell me…you didn't kill him."

Tara took a deep breath in a shuddered from the cold. "I didn't kill Franklin." She answered truthfully. Sure she had tried, but in the end neither she nor Franklin had killed each other as intended. Perhaps there was a modicum of love lost there.

"He did love you Tara."

"I know." She sighed.

"If we are finished with all the Shakespearean drama I have something to say." Eric looked Jack squarely in the eye. "Jacqueline Rose, you are henceforth banned from Area 5. You are to have no further contact with the human's known as Sookie Stackhouse and Tara Thornton, or anyone related to them in any way. You will also cease any involvement with the Werewolves. Have I made myself clear?"

Jack gasped and looked at Tara horrified.

"You will see her no more." Eric commanded.

Fresh tears appeared in Jack's eyes. Eric released her from the tree and she took two steps away from the party, looked back, and then walked a little further into the woods. Just before she was out of sight she turned back toward the group.

"If you need me, call for me." Jack nodded then ran out of sight before Eric could say anything else.

"Sentimental fool." Eric sighed. "She and Franklin were a matched pair in their day…so I hear." Eric turned to Sookie who turned from him to check on Tara, who was still shivering.

"Sookie." Eric called. "May I speak with you for a moment?" It was hardly a request.

Sookie threw her shoulders back and stomped over to Eric leaving Pam, Alcide and Tara.

Pam turned to face Tara and lifted her hand toward her bleeding temple. Tara stiffened and shrank away from Pam into Alcide's chest.

"Relax. Did you hit your head when you fell into the river?"

Tara nodded pressing her fingers to her head to check the severity of the bleeding.

"She most likely has a concussion. Also one of you tires is busted and you don't' have a spare. " Pam informed Alcide before meandering away from the pair.

"So much for worrying about this tomorrow."Alcide pulled Tara closer to him. She tried to fake a smile, but her face felt like it was frozen.

Suddenly Eric and Pam were gone and Sookie navigated the woods back to the truck.

"What did Eric say?" Alcide wondered.

"Not much. Mostly just that Sam and Jessica and Jason went to see him and that we should call them to get a spare since they should be by here in a minute anyway."

"My cell's in the glove box."

Sookie climbed in the truck to retrieve the cell as Alcide turned his attention back to Tara. No sooner had he turned to her than she fainted in his arms.

"Tara. Tara!" He called. "You can't sleep, you have a concussion. I think she'd going into shock." He shouted to Sookie over the rushing river.

"Here, I'll start the truck. Pull her inside so she can warm up."

Sookie helped Alcide drag Tara into the truck.

"I have a blanket in the bed of the truck." Alcide told her as he began to remove Tara's yellow long sleeved shirt, soaked denim skirt and boots.

"What are you doing?"

"She'll never warm up with those wet clothes on. We've got to get her dry."

Sookie found the blanket and a towel that wasn't too dirty. She helped Alcide dry Tara off then wrapped the towel around her hair. Next they wrapped the blanket around both Alcide and Tara. That way he could use his body heat to keep her warm.

Alcide rubbed Tara's legs through the blanket to help increase her circulation. Then he pressed her towards his chest. "Come on Tara. Come back to us, okay. We're not gonna let them beat us. They're not gonna win are they?"

He continued to talk to Tara and warm her up as Sookie called Sam's cell. She told him where they were and agreed to meet them by the road so she could lead them to the truck.

"That was Sam. They'll be here soon with a spare. I didn't tell him about Tara. He's freaked out enough. I'm going to head out to the road so I can meet them.

"Sookie." Alcide protested. "It's not safe."

"Why not? The Were's don't know where we are since Jack's not working for them anymore, and Jack's been banned from Area 5. It's perfectly safe."

Alcide had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. "You forget about regular humans that might want to do you harm for the hell of it."

"Well I'll keep my mind open, and if any of those come by…I'll know what they're thinking and stay in the woods." Sookie took off for the road and shut the door to the cabin.

Alcide continue to rock Tara trying to get her to respond. "Tara…talk to me." He sighed. "I thought trouble followed Sookie wherever she went."

"You ain't seen nothin' yet." Tara grumbled pulling her legs into Alcide.

"Thank God." He breathed resting his chin on Tara's head.


End file.
